Head of IT department at $45,000-a-year private school accused of stealing $74,000 worth of iPads, laptops and MacBooks and selling them online
- Staff at Ascham School allegedly stole laptops
- Anthony Barron, 35, no longer employed there
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A staff member at an elite $45,000-a-year private school allegedly stole almost $100,000 worth of computers and tried to sell them online.
Anthony James Barron, 35, who ran the IT department at Ascham School in Edgecliff in Sydney's eastern suburbs, was arrested on Friday as police investigated the alleged robbery of $74,000 worth of school equipment.
Police allege Barron stole six iPads, 34 HP Elite laptops and four MacBooks between 2023 and 2025 and sold them on an online marketplace.
It's also alleged he tampered with CCTV footage while police were investigating the missing computers.
Barron was taken to Waverley police station where he was charged with stealing property as a clerk, disposing of stolen property and unauthorised modification of data with intent to cause impairment.
Barron was released on conditional bail and was not allowed to return to the school after principal Andrew Powell emailed parents to tell them an 'alleged offender' was no longer employed.
'I would like to reassure all our families that there is no evidence to this date that there has been a cyber incident, nor has there been a data breach,' Mr Powell said.
'However, this matter is now before the court, so the school will not be making any further comment.'
An employee at Ascham School (pictured) has been accused of stealing computers and trying to sell them online
Ascham School principal Andrew Powell (pictured) told parents the 'alleged offender' was no longer employed at the school
Barron began working at Ascham in 2019 and before that he worked for Hipages and the Australian Army as an information systems team leader where he oversaw a 12-person team.
The school recently wrote to parents that it was putting money into a 'major IT systems upgrades in 2025' and claimed it had the 'highest calibre of staff'.
Barron will front Downing Centre Local Court on April 4.
Ascham School was established in 1866 and is an independent, non-denominational, day and boarding school for girls.
It currently has 1000 students from Kindergarten to Year 12.
Daily Mail Australia contacted Ascham School for comment.
