Surrey farmer has partridges stolen in bizarre theft

Police are searching for a group of criminals who stole a farmer's partridges in what has been described as a bizarre theft.

The farmer, from Reigate in Surrey, rang police after reports of men trespassing on farmland on Slipshatch Road at 2.45pm, November 5. It was thought the men were hunting deer.

But when police arrived on the farm and surrounding land they were unable to trace them.

In a bizarre turn of events, the farmer then noticed all of his partridges were missing from their pens. It is now thought that the same men who trespassed on private land hunting for deer stole them.

Surrey Police last made a public appeal on November 29 in a frequent newsletter the force publish for fresh leads.

In the newsletter, Police Sergeant Ross Spanton wrote that he hoped the fresh appeal would "give the suspects nagging doubt and remind would-be criminals [Surrey Police] know who they are."

No arrests have yet been made in connection with the suspected theft or trespass incident.

It follows news of farmers being reminded to take part in the government’s Commercial Victimisation Survey and record the nature, extent and costs of any crime they have faced.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Surrey Police on 101 and quote reference number 45170122935.