What was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime for 30 boys from an elite Melbourne private school has turned into a disgrace with 16 students suspended for shoplifting.
In the latest scandal to affect Catholic boys school Xavier College, the students left New Zealand on Sunday after ending the week-long ski trip by going on a shoplifting spree in Queenstown and stealing $NZ6000 (almost $A5000) worth of ski clothes.
Xavier principal Chris Hayes met the group at Melbourne airport when they arrived home and suspended them indefinitely and did not rule out expelling any ringleaders.
Staff at the Queenstown store R&R Sport became suspicious on Saturday as a number of boys carried ski garments into changing rooms.
When challenged by staff, some of the boys ran off but later were found waiting for a bus with teachers.
Teachers were forced to pay for items stuffed into the boys' bags that had been damaged where security tags had been ripped off.
The police were notified and the boys - aged 14 to 17 and in years 9-12 - were interviewed the next morning, but they weren't charged and were let off with official warnings.
Queenstown police Sergeant Steve Watt told AAP on Monday the boys, some of whom were in tears, were made to call their parents and report their misdeeds.
