Presbyterian church, schools broken into

Children at the Penal Presbyterian Preschool were sent back home on Tuesday morning when they arrived on the second day of term, as their school was broken into on Monday night.

The school is housed in the Penal Presbyterian Church.

General secretary of the Presbyterian Church Terrence Warde confirmed the Penal church and the school, which is housed in the building, had been broken into.

Warde said nothing appeared to be missing from the church, but the preschool was ransacked, as the intruder appeared to be in search of money. He said the act seemed to have been committed by a homeless person.

He said the church was concerned that places of worship and schools were no longer sacred spaces.

Another member of the church told the Newsday the perpetrator prised open a side door to get into the building. He said the preschool was ransacked, and when children came to school on Tuesday morning, they were sent back, as Penal police were there.

The church member said from initial reports, nothing seemed to be missing, but there was some damage to the door through which the intruder got in.

On Monday night, Newsday was told, there was an attempted break-in at the Carapichaima Presbyterian Primary School.

The wire fence at the back of the school was cut and the would-be thieves tried to wrench open the aluminium louvres to get in, but failed.

Police were called, interviewed the principal and dusted for fingerprints.

Investigations are continuing in both matters.