HAPLESS thieves who drilled through 7-ft gates, picked a lock and removed a double-glazed window to steal a nursery’s safe escaped with just 60p the owner has revealed.

Laura Leigh Wayman, managing director of Child’s Play Private Nursery, based at the Ferryhill Hub, in County Durham, was shocked to discover it had been targeted sometime between Saturday night and Sunday morning.

The 27-year-old, who set up the business in 2012, described how the thieves used a drill to gain entry to the nursery’s garden before ripping off a UPVC window and drilling through its lock into the main building.

The robbers then ransacked the nursery office, making off with the electronic, and rather heavy, safe.

But Miss Wayman said she had had the last laugh during the incident.

“All of that hard work for 60p is a bit much,” she said.

“We were expecting the place to be trashed but they have not touched any of the other rooms.”

She added: “More fool them because I have never left money in the safe overnight. The maximum it’s ever had is £5 so it’s their loss and more hard work for them.

“I wish I had seen their faces – it was definitely not worth the effort for coppers.”

The mum-of-one has already increased security for the nursery and is set to have rolling shutters installed later this week, costing her about £2,000.

It is the second time in a week that the former Ferryhill Leisure Centre, which is now owned by the Ferryhill Community Partnership, has been targeted by robbers who smashed their way into the bar last Monday and stole at least £600 from collection box in aid of a sick woman.

“We are lucky but it’s annoying to think last weekend they raided the bar and then they’ve come to try their luck down here,” Miss Wayman added.

“It’s a shame I’m having to spend £2,000 on increased security when I could have spent it on the garden or a trip for the kids but I’m spending it on the security because of some mindless people who want to come into a kids nursery full of toys.”

Secretary of the partnership, Brian Gibson, said he will now be in touch with the crime prevention squad to see what measures they can take to protect the centre further.

“Fortunately they got no money and just an empty safe but it does not alter the fact we seem to be a target,” he said.

“It’s definitely a shock. We thought we had been done and we can get on but it’s like they’re thumbing their noses at us and saying ‘we can come when we like’.”

Both Miss Wayman and Mr Gibson are hopeful the thieves will be caught after crime scene investigators collected evidence at the scene on Sunday.

The police have now launched an investigation into the incident and are appealing for witnesses.

It is understood the empty safe was found abandoned a short distance away, in Cleves Cross, Ferryhill.

A police spokesman said: “We are appealing for any information of anyone seen around this area on the night or, anyone carrying unusual items nearby.”

If you have any information call 101 quoting crime number CRI00010622.