Four Taiwanese students at St. Michael's College are at a distinct learning disadvantage tonight after their translator was stolen.
What is a translator? Well it is pricey but critical computer for the students who don't speak much English. And making the story worse is that the school believes the thief is a fellow student.
St Michael's principal Phillip Michael Price is appealing to whoever stole it, to bring it back.
Phillip Michael Price, St. Michael's College Principal
"They are Taiwanese students so their English is not all that good so they use it in almost every class to try and understand what's happening in the classroom; what the teacher is teaching. And generally to do their work, their homework so it is very important, very very important."
So this being stole, how will this affect these students?
Phillip Michael Price,
"It is going to affect them very badly because the translator is very expensive. It is not easy to just to the shop and buy a next one because it costs about $2,000 and without that they will have extreme difficulty in understanding most of the things.that are taught in the classroom or even reading from their English, History, and Social studies books and so on."
So what does this translator look like?
Phillip Michael Price,
"It's one of these like a calculator but it is more like a computer and so it is very expensive."
"If anybody tries to sell the translator, we are appealing to the public to please call us and let us know because we would like to recover the translator for these students."
Principal Price says along with the translator, money was also stolen from the students. The theft has been reported to police and they are investigating.