It’s the best Christmas present ever for the Somerton community.
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Rocco the bearded dragon – who was missing for four months after being stolen from the school – is back home.
A late-night phone call from police gave principal Kylie Lacey the great news, which she couldn’t wait to share with all the students during assembly first thing Monday.
She said he was OK, and recovering his health and condition in “the Henry hospital”, with the family who’d originally donated him to the school.
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Ms Lacey said she had a bit of a fright when the police called so late at night, but was thrilled with the news.
“He said, ‘We have your lizard.’ I said, ‘Are you kidding me?’
“I couldn’t believe it; I had to nearly pinch myself.
“It was so many months ago [and] we really never thought we’d ever see him again …
“I said to my family, ‘This is a bit like a Christmas miracle, really.’”
During the break-in, which happened either late August 17 or early August 18, offenders ransacked six rooms in the school.
Apart from Rocco and his $800 enclosure and heat lamp, they also took a 50-inch LG black television, six laptops, a Ryobi cordless drill, a small amount of cash, stationery, clapsticks, groceries, children’s underwear and a Sherlock trolley.
Oxley Chief Inspector Phil O’Reilly said it was “a positive outcome to return the reptile to the school”.
“The reptile was recovered at a house in Hillvue last week after information was provided to police,” he said.
“No charges have been laid at this stage; however, inquiries are continuing.
“Information provided by community members is of assistance to police and we encourage people to report suspicious activity.”
When he’s better
Rocco spent the day hanging out with the “very excited” students today.
When he’s feeling 100 per cent, Ms Lacey said, he will be welcomed back for more visits – “but because we’ve now got another lizard and she’s a female, we don’t want babies”.
Wattle was a gift from The Entrance Public School community members.
When they heard about the theft and the challenges of drought in the Somerton area, they came forward with the gift of a bearded dragon and an invitation for the students to come over for a coastal holiday.
“Wattle is very much part of the school now as well, but the kids have not forgotten about Rocco.”
Good from bad
Ms Lacey said the break-in had been a heart-rending experience, but some important lessons had come of it.
“It was an invasion of our privacy … it’s a place that’s very special to us and we spend so much time here that it’s like our other home,” she said.
“We’ve done a lot with the children this year around resilience, and this was a big lesson in resilience for us – all of us, even staff …
“We were all very upset about it but certainly talked to the kids about what we can do to cope with situations like this that are out of our control.
“Then when The Entrance Public School stepped in, it was another good lesson: that there are good people out there who really care ... we were shown the good in humans as well.
“The whole thing feels like it’s come back full circle now.”
Carolyn Millet
Based at The Northern Daily Leader, Tamworth, and Namoi Valley Independent, Gunnedah. Covering general news and features on community, council, arts, business, health, education, entertainment and rural matters.
Based at The Northern Daily Leader, Tamworth, and Namoi Valley Independent, Gunnedah. Covering general news and features on community, council, arts, business, health, education, entertainment and rural matters.
