End-of year school pranks are raising concerns among Dunedin
police who say it may only be a matter of time before someone
is seriously injured.
School is finished for senior secondary school pupils who are
now studying for NCEA and Scholarship exams which begin on
Friday.
Pupils annually play pranks on each other to celebrate the
end of the year, and many see it as a rite of passage.
Acting Senior Sergeant Dave Scott said there had been several
reports of high jinks and pranking by school pupils in the
city during the past three days.
Pranks being reported across the city included pupils from
various secondary schools filling school hallways with
balloons, covering cars in bubble wrap, and putting burning
excrement-filled paper bags on school boarding hostel
doorsteps, Mr Scott said.
However, there had also been more serious reports of
secondary school age pupils shooting fireworks at each other
around the city.
"There seems to be a bit of Thomas Foolery going on this
year.
"It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye.
"Sooner or later, some one is going to get hurt if this
behaviour continues."
He called for pupils to be more sensible and courteous to
avoid injury.
The most recent police callout was to Otago Boys' High School
where about 17 senior pupils were letting off fireworks on
Sunday night.
Mr Scott said Dunedin Police were called to the school by a
member of the public about 10pm, to find cling film had been
put across the school's main entrance and several cars in the
car park area had been covered in bubble wrap.
Mr Scott said the principal was called, but pupils were moved
on and no charges were laid.
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