No Cool Kids At Miami Gardens Pre-School
MIAMI GARDENS (CBS4) – Thieves made the owner of a Miami Gardens daycare and pre-school a little hot under the collar over the Thanksgiving holiday.
Zona Rock, the director of the Tender Loving Care pre-school at 19601 NW 42nd Avenue, said someone cut through their fence, cut the wiring on the electrical box and stole their air conditioning unit.
The unit was bolted into the ground. The school, which has been burglarized before for air conditioning parts, does not have a camera surveillance system.
The estimated cost to replace the a/c unit is $1,200 which is far less than the $3,000 it cost to replace another unit which was stolen six months ago. Rock said she and the parents who send their children to her school are fed up with the thefts.
"It's going to cost me and it's also going to cost, you know, our clients because I'm sure parents think it's safe here. When you drop your child off you want to make sure," said Rock. "How can you just take from children? We can't really take care of them like we want to as teachers because it is hot on the inside, the kids get frustrated when they're hot."
"This is a family daycare. I love them so much," said Diane Jackson, whose son attends the day care.
She said she can't believe the heartlessness of these thieves.
"I just want them to stop, this is like the second time; it's ridiculous," Jackson said.
Police are not sure if whoever stole it did so for the copper inside the unit, or meant to sell it whole as a replacement unit.
Thieves are also targeting parents here. The daycare owners said twice a month since August when parents have come to drop off or pick up their children, thieves have smashed in their car windows, stolen their purses and took off.
The private pre-school, which accommodates up to 34 children, has been in business for 25 years. Rock says the thefts began only recently. She said, so far, Miami Gardens police have done little to help her.
"(The officer) looked out the door and he looked at it and said 'Ok, well it's gone you know, I'll just write a report,'" Rock said.
CBS4's Natalia Zea reached out to police who said they have now assigned a detective to the cases. Rock said she will now have to raise her prices just to keep her doors open.
"We're a small daycare right now and we're on a budget," Rock said.
Jackson doesn't want to move her son, but can't afford an increase. She hopes the thieves will have a change of heart.
"Whoever it is, if they can please stop," she pleaded.
