Drilling thieves take safe and jewels

CUNNING burglars managed to burst into an Ipswich home using a hi-tech drill and then escaped with nearly £2,000 in cash and expensive jewellery.

The theft happened between 6pm and 9pm on Sunday, February 16 and left a gaping hole in the back door of the house, in Bixley Road, Ipswich.

Police later recovered a drill piece in the garden that they believe was used to drill through the back door and unlock it.

Mark Beadsworth, 28, who lives with his girlfriend Sarah Cherry, 23, runs his stretch limousine business, B.N.E Limos, from the house and said the theft had left him "gutted".

As well as escaping with large sums of cash and expensive jewellery, Mr Beadsworth also suspects that the burglars drugged his Staffordshire Bull Terrior dog, Togan.

He said: "When we got back, he just wasn't right. We have to give him tranquillisers when there are fireworks and if he had heard the drill he would've gone barmy."

The burglars escaped with a safe and its contents, which included £1,500 in cash, along with various items of jewellery, including a watch valued at around £400. They also stole Mr Beadsworth's bum-bag, which contained £150 in cash, and ransacked an upstairs bedroom.

He said: "When we got back the cupboards in the hall were open and they had chucked stuff all over the bedroom.

"They didn't take the DVD player or my game cube. It seems like they knew what they wanted."

Mr Beadsworth is offering a cash reward for information that leads to the prosecution of the culprits.

He said: "It's a busy road – someone must have seen something. The police reckon it must have been a very quiet power tool because not even my next-door neighbour heard it.

"The thing is because I work from home, there is always people coming in and out so could've been anyone."

Anyone with any information about the crime is asked to call Suffolk police on 01473 613500.