Brazen thieves have stolen an entire CCTV system - just weeks after it was installed.
The Å2,500 CCTV system was put up at Barrow Village Hall in a bid to deter vandalism, but instead became a target for criminals.
Graham Judge, 56, chairman of Barrow Parish Council, said he was sickened by the theft.
His council had arranged for the high-tech surveillance system to be fitted last month after a spate of vandalism at the hall.Mr Judge, 56, said: "I am sickened by this, we have been targeted by people who obviously came determined to steal the whole system."
Not only did the thieves steal all three security cameras outside the hall, they broke into the building to steal the system's monitor and digital video recorder.
The crime was discovered on Tuesday morning when a cleaner arrived at the hall in The Street, Barrow.
Mr Judge said: "I am still coming to terms with the fact that, having put the cameras there to deter vandals, they have been stolen by thieves.
"It is a huge blow because we have invested a lot of money in this system and within three weeks it has been stolen."
The crime could threaten a proposed Å50,000 renovation project of the village hall, which hosts many community groups every week.
Mr Judge said: "I am not going to let thieves stop what we want to do for the village but for the moment we have to re-appraise what we are going to do."
