Fish worth £8,500 are stolen from pond (From Prestwich and Whitefield Guide)

Fish worth £8,500 are stolen from pond

9:20am Wednesday 26th September 2012 in News

A RETIRED couple have been left heartbroken after thieves stole pedigree fish worth a total of £8,500.

Burglars targeted the couple’s home, off Wash Lane, Bury, in the early hours of Thursday and stole 15 Koi carp — before returning two days later to steal two more.

The couple have put up a £100 reward for information which leads to the conviction of the offenders.

The woman, aged 73, said: “We are heartbroken. It is so sickening that anyone could do this once, let alone twice.

“In the same way that you get pedigree dogs, these fish are in the same category and, though we bought them when they were small, they would cost about £500 each now to buy as adults. You can’t insure them and we dare not replace them in case the thieves return.”

CCTV covering the garden reveals the first theft took place between 12.30am and 3am last Thursday. The couple said the camera picked up torches and shadows of a man picking up the fish and passing them over a fence to an accomplice.

The footage suggests the thieves left with some of the fish and returned 30 minutes later to steal more. The woman added: “I was horrified to see the footage. To know that someone has been in our garden and stolen our fish is dreadful.”

Two days later, cameras filmed a man scooping up two more of the carp into fishing nets at a similar time in the morning. Police said they believe the incidents are linked, and have appealed for anyone with information to call 101.