Thieves ransack Brackley smallholding while owner was in hospital

Thieves ransacked a smallholding outside Brackley after the owner was taken to hospital in an ambulance – the latest in a long history of break-ins on his land.
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Valuable chainsaws, a hedgecutter, a new battery and a new set of sockets were taken from the property off the A422 Farthinghoe Road sometime between Sunday evening and yesterday afternoon (Monday).

Four vehicles were broken into by smashing windows or prizing open the doors while random items like cans of cola and cider were also stolen.

All while the owner, James Carpenter, better known as Bill, was at the Horton General Hospital for a hip replacement after hurting himself in a fall last week.

Bill Carpenter with the Ford Mustang which was vandalised during the burglary at his smallholding outside BrackleyBill Carpenter with the Ford Mustang which was vandalised during the burglary at his smallholding outside Brackley
Bill Carpenter with the Ford Mustang which was vandalised during the burglary at his smallholding outside Brackley

This is the 44th crime on Bill’s land over the past 30 years, he has lived there for the last five to try to put off thieves, the last theft was in November, 2016.

His son Nick Carpenter said: “Not many people knew he was in hospital, he’s been living there for five years and the first time he’s not there, he gets robbed.

“Someone must have been watching – it’s massively frustrating.”

Nick locked up The Old Piggery at 7.15pm on Sunday after his father, 79, was taken to hospital by ambulance as he could not walk because of his damaged hip.

The back windows of a Land Rover Defender were smashedThe back windows of a Land Rover Defender were smashed
The back windows of a Land Rover Defender were smashed

On their return yesterday at around 3.15pm, with Bill not having had the surgery, they found the damaged vehicles and realised what had been stolen.

The thieves had cut a fence with wire cutters to gain entry to the land from a neighbouring smallholding.

The windows on a Mini One, a Ford Mustang and a Land Rover Defender had been smashed to see what was inside, while the back of a Peugeot Bippa van was forced open.

Nick said: “They ransacked the place, we’re still not completely sure what they took.

Bill with the Mini One which had its back window smashedBill with the Mini One which had its back window smashed
Bill with the Mini One which had its back window smashed

“But I want the goods to be as hot as possible so they can’t sell them, one of the chainsaws was quite rare.

“Someone must have seen something or heard something, but no-one seems to know about it.”

Anyone with information should call police on 101, quoting reference 19000192182.

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