Girls aged 8 and 10 accused of burglary at nursery

Five schoolgirls aged eight to 10 are suspected of stealing five bicycles during a break-in at a nursery in Surrey, police said yesterday.

Around £500 worth of damage was caused during the raid at Leatherhead Trinity Children’s Centre after sandpits were opened and left “exposed to the weather,” a police spokeswoman said.

Four girls were initially suspected of being behind the break-in, which took place between 16 August, and 19 August, but a fifth girl was later alleged to have been involved.

“All the girls have been spoken to by police,” the spokeswoman said.

The bicycles were all recovered undamaged by officers and returned to the centre. No further action will be taken against two of the suspects as they are under 10, which is the age of criminal responsibility.

However three of the girls, all aged 10, were interviewed under caution and a report is being prepared for the Youth Intervention Clinic.

Bridget Lewis-Carr, a councillor who represents Leatherhead North, said she “would be quite shocked to think children of that age would allegedly be doing things like this”.