Suspected disabled children's nursery burglars caught after police followed footprints in snow

A trio of suspected burglars accused of trashing a nursery for disabled children were arrested after police followed their footprints in the snow. Officers said they were able to track down the alleged offenders to a house just 200 yards away after neighbours spotted a break-in at the Stepping Stones Therapy Nursery in Haslingden, Lancashire.

Staff said they were ‘devastated’ by the raid, which saw £240 stolen and a host of doors and windows smashed. Police said the thieves scaled a security gate and used two bricks to shatter the front door glass before ransacking an office drawer containing children’s lunch money.



The nursery was forced to close to its 16 youngsters pupils in the aftermath of the break-in, which happened between 11.15pm and 11.45pm on Tuesday. Haslingden councillor Granville Morris said it was more than fortunate the weather helped the police in their investigation. He said: “Thankfully these people did not realise what they were doing leaving their footprints in the snow and the police were on the ball enough to pick up on the very clear evidence.”

A spokeswoman for Lancashire police said two men, aged 26 and 28, and a 50-year-old woman had been arrested in Haslingden on suspicion of burglary and had been bailed until February 15. She said: “It is correct that officers followed distinctive footprints in the snow to an address in Haslingden where they seized footwear and made the three arrests.”