KELSO, Wash. -- A large piece of metal playground equipment was disassembled and stolen from Barnes Elementary School by thieves Monday night, the school's principal said.

Metal thieves strike in Kelso, stealing from children at an elementary school.

Kelso police said someone stole the metal jungle gym from Barnes Elementary School on Monday night.

The school principal, Brenda Ward, said whoever took the jungle gym likely spent a lot of time planning it out.

She said the thief took the entire structure apart and then hauled it away -- piece by piece.

All that's left in its place is bark dust.

"It just feels like something is missing," Ward said.

There's a sense of loss for the students, teachers and parents at Barnes Elementary School.

"To take something that belongs to children takes it to a new level," Ward said.

She said, someone stole the large metal geodome right from the middle of the school playground Monday night.

"It's huge. And it's taller than I am," Ward said.

Kelso police said the thieves dismantled the structure and threw the steel pieces over a fence leaving nothing behind but a dark circle in the bark chips where the students used to play.

"It had to have been planned out. I just have a feeling someone knew it was here and watched, surveillance and did some heavy planning before they went through with this," Ward said.

Now she says she's answering a lot of questions from her students and reassuring them of their safety.

"I'm really mad about it and when I came out there to play on it, it was a big shock," 8-year-old student Zoey Hamper said.

Parents we talked with were just as shocked.

"That's absolutely terrible. There's so many good people in this town and a few people ruin it for so many," parent Josh Albright said.

"It makes me sad that nothing is safe in this community. Stealing from kids, that's a horrible thing to do," parent Sungja Albright said.

Ward said it will cost thousands of dollars to replace the geodome.

She said the school plans on doing some fundraising to bring the structure back for the kids.

The school is holding a Sock Hop as a fundraiser at the school June 6 with proceeds going to help buy new playground equipment.

Also, the school will accept donations.

Anyone with information about the theft is asked to call Kelso police.

Thieves Steal School Playground Equipment