A Manitoba daycare owner is scratching her head after a brazen and bizarre burglary.
When Angie Izzard arrived at her business, Guiding Minds Montessori, an early childhood education centre in Headingley, Man., around 6:40 a.m. Friday, the first thing she noticed was that someone had rammed a vehicle through the fence around the outdoor play area.
“Then I noticed, as I was throwing things out at the dumpster, that our large play structure was gone,” Izzard told Global News.
“I was actually completely shocked. I don’t know how someone would even want to steal a play structure from children. And how? How would you even get a large play structure like that even into a vehicle or truck?”
Izzard said the play structure was bolted to the ground. She also says the incident resulted in an unexpected lesson for some young minds.
“Some of them have had tears because they love that play structure. So it breaks my heart that someone would do this to … You know, to children,” she said.
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Manitoba RCMP say they are canvassing the area for security footage, hoping to identify and release images of a suspect vehicle.
“(It is) quite unusual. A large item that is going to require dismantling, something that takes time, putting somebody at risk of getting caught,” Manitoba RCMP Sgt. Paul Manaigre said.
Izzard says the centre was not equipped with security cameras and that they will be installing them now. She also says the silver lining from the incident is that many families of the children and members of the public have already stepped up to donate and help replace the play structure and fix the fence.
But for her, the incident is still unsettling — and a head-scratcher.
“Why? I don’t understand why they would want our structure?” Izzard said.
“Obviously they didn’t come to Montessori to learn that respect and guidance and kindness.”
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