A NELSON shopping centre has been targeted by vandals and burglars for the second time in two months.

Thieves forced their way into the Victory Centre, in Scotland Road, and smashed the CCTV cameras on the outside and the inside of the building, before smashing a door open at Polish outlet M & T Butchers.

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Once inside the butchers they forced open the till and stole a small amount of cash from the premises.

In June, around £10,000 worth of damage was caused when vandals broke in through a fire door of an empty unit that used to house Argos.

Once inside the centre they smashed around 150 fluorescent lighting tubes stored in another empty unit, as well as some storage units.

Colin Cowgill, caretaker at the centre, said: “I started at 5.30am on Tuesday and that was when I noticed the broken glass at the butchers.

“It’s caused a lot of damage again, it’s terrible that the centre has been targeted so soon after the previous incident.

“The CCTV camera on the outside of the centre has been smashed and all of the cameras inside have been, so this is people that know what they are doing and where the cameras were.”

The centre is home to seven units and as well as the butchers there is a William Hill betting shop, a clothes store and a Mary Portas project shop.

Colin, who has worked at the centre for eight years, said: “It’s just idiots that are causing the damage. The cameras are going to be expensive to replace and it’s less than two months since £10,000 damage was caused inside the centre.

“It’s also terrible for the butchers, they have lost out and they are also going to have to make repairs.”

Police are investigating the latest incident and appeal for anyone with information to call them on 101.