By ROBYN BRISTOW
Preschoolers at Educare in Kaiapoi are sad, and upset.
Their preschool, on Smith Street, has been burgled twice in the past couple of weeks with thieves mostly targeting outdoor play equipment..
Around $10,000 of equipment was stolen.
Centre manager Aletta Duff says after the first burglary on January 31, the little people at the centre were upset, realising ‘‘bad people’’, had taken their play equipment.
Ten days later they returned to ‘‘finish the job’’, taking the remainder of the play equipment.
‘‘The second time you could definitely see it had affected the children in their behaviours,’’ says Ms Duff.
Staff were also a bit shaken.
The back fence was destroyed in the latest break-in, to gain access.
This has put a stop to the children being able to play outside until it is fixed.
Red monkey bars, a green rope bridge, a wooden bridge, a wooden water trough, a pop up tent, big square brown cushions, a big green African drum, a big outdoor broom and rake, and a few smaller items were stolen.
Both burglaries were in the early hours of the morning at the preschool which is sited alongside a fitness centre, and behind McKeown's petrol station near the Kaiapoi River.
Educare has some video footage.
‘‘The definitely knew what they were doing. They knew where to go, knew where to avoid, and where the darker corners of the property were.
‘‘I am pretty sure they have been watching us,’’ she says.
If anyone has seen or heard anything let the centre know by emailing kaiapoi@educare.co.nz, or phone the police on 105, quoting reference number 230131/7661 for the January 31 break-in, or 230210/7595 for the February one.
