Burglars cut nursery’s phone lines and stole items worth thousands

Burglars stole laptops, IT equipment and cash after cutting wires to the phone lines, alarm system and cameras at Birstall Preschool yesterday (Tuesday).

Manager Sandra Cockburn said: “All the staff were devastated when we found out.

“It was heartless and it seems premeditated which is scary that someone could have been watching us. We feel violated.”

The Carr Street nursery is run as a charity and used by 84 children. Parents were called by staff this morning to say it would be closed for the rest of the week.

The thieves prised open a window after cutting all the wires, shutting off the building’s power overnight.

They stole six laptops and IT equipment as well as cash from the nursery’s office.

Mrs Cockburn said the damage and items stole would cost the nursery thousands of pounds.

She said: “We have been left without power, we have no telephone line and all the live wires are dangling and exposed. Until we get it all fixed we can’t let children come in so it affects them and their families.

“We can replace a lot of it but that’s not the point, every time we come in now we will be wondering what we will see.”

The nursery moved from Birstall Methodist Church in 2011.

Anyone with information should call police on 101.