LOCAL police are appealing for witnesses after a property in the Ropley area was burgled for the second time in two weeks, and the fifth time in 18 months.

The burglary took place on Saturday night when thieves broke into outbuildings on the two-and-a-half acre estate and removed a genuine 1950s Wurlitzer Jukebox containing more than 100 records worth £3,000.

They also got away with a one-armed bandit which works on sixpences worth £550, a 1950's chest of drawers worth £100, and a selection of 1960's crockery and vases worth £100.

Thieves smashed down exterior and interior doors to gain entry, and also broke security lights so that they would not be detected. This damage takes the cost of the raid even higher.

The 90-year-old owner of the property has lived on the estate for nearly 70 years.

A member of the aggrieved's family said: "It is sickening that these people are targeting him because he is an old man.

"He can't get insurance on the property because outbuildings cannot be insured, so he has permanently lost everything that was taken. This latest raid has cost him in the region of £5,000, taking the tally for the last 18 months to around eight or nine thousand pounds, and he will never see any of this money again unless the offenders are caught."

The property is fairly secluded, but police believe that someone in the area may have seen something, as this kind of sequence of events is somewhat out of the ordinary in this area.

A police spokesman said: "We believe that because of the size of the stolen items, there must have been at least two offenders and they must have had transport which probably came most of the way up the drive.

"Other properties in the same area also suffered break-ins on the same night. Stables further up the road were entered and two large coils of rope were stolen worth £60.

"If anyone saw anything suspicious in the Ropley area on the evening of Saturday September 15, then please call Alton Police on 0845 045 45 45."