School vandalism and theft in Cuiabá

Municipal schools in Cuiabá have been targeted by repeated criminal acts involving theft and vandalism. Between July and October, the Rafael Rueda Municipal Basic Education School (EMEB) experienced ongoing thefts of electrical wiring and air conditioning cables. These incidents, which often occurred on weekends, compromised the school’s ability to maintain climate control and required the use of public funds for repairs.

Interim Municipal Secretary of Sports and Leisure, Mateus Silva Alves, noted that despite police reports, security guards, and the installation of cameras, the crimes persist, frequently occurring on Fridays and Sundays. The City Hall has called on the community to report such thefts, noting that damage to windows and physical structures has further disrupted educational activities.

On November 26, the EMEB Dejani Ribeiro Campos school was also targeted by vandals who forced entry through window grates. Intruders ransacked a resource room and a multifunctional space, throwing paint throughout the rooms and disturbing mobile laboratory materials. While a microscope was briefly removed from the premises, it was later recovered near the school wall.

In response, the Cuiabá Municipal Secretariat of Education has initiated emergency structural interventions at EMEB Dejani Ribeiro Campos, including replacing roofing with isothermal tiles and updating ceilings. The municipality has also announced the installation of video monitoring cameras and the provision of in-person security guards during nights and weekends. These actions are part of a broader municipal effort involving investments exceeding R$ 30 million for school reforms across the network.