News

Stolen car driven into west Belfast nursery and burnt-out

The car was found burnt-out having crashed into gates at St Peter's Nursery School in west Belfast in the early hours of Tuesday. Picture from PSNI/Facebook
The car was found burnt-out having crashed into gates at St Peter's Nursery School in west Belfast in the early hours of Tuesday. Picture from PSNI/Facebook The car was found burnt-out having crashed into gates at St Peter's Nursery School in west Belfast in the early hours of Tuesday. Picture from PSNI/Facebook

POLICE have appealed for information after car thieves ploughed into the gates of a  nursery school in west Belfast leaving a burnt-out vehicle in their wake.

Staff, pupils and parents were left shocked after arriving at St Peter's Nursery School yesterday to find the destroyed car at the nursery school entrance.

Gates at the school in Servia Street in the lower Falls area were damaged, as well as a montage celebrating a 'Best Kept School' award won by St Peter's in 2011.

Police said the car which was found crashed at the school at 2.30am on Tuesday morning was stolen in the university area at around 7.30pm the previous night.

Sinn Féin West Belfast MLA Fra McCann said it was a "terrible sight for children, parents, teachers and staff" arriving for class.

He wrote on Facebook: "Thank God this did not happen during school hours. The onus is also on the PSNI and the criminal justice system to ensure when these people are arrested bail is not an option.

"It is absolutely sickening that many of those involved are back on our streets within days following their arrest."

One woman said on social media that the "kids were so upset and didn't understand".

In a Facebook post, the PSNI said: "The vehicle in question is a black Renault Clio. This incident has caused significant disruption to the nursery and community this morning."

Police have appealed to anyone with information to contact officers on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.