VIDEO: More than £3,000 in power tools has been stolen from a tourist attraction near Chipping Norton.

Around £3,000 worth of power tools were stolen from the workshop of Fairytale Farm in Chipping Norton.
Still from CCTV footage from Fairytale Farm. NNL-171002-102206001Still from CCTV footage from Fairytale Farm. NNL-171002-102206001
Still from CCTV footage from Fairytale Farm. NNL-171002-102206001

And someone has been caught on camera at the farm at the time of the burglary.

Among the items stolen were angle grinders, drills, jigsaws and specialist equipment which has been collected by the farm over the past nine years. The theft happened just after 3am on Wednesday, February 8.

The owners of Fairytale Farm have posted footage from their security camera to YouTube in the hope of finding the person responsible. The person seen on camera was wearing trainers and a hoodie and was using the mobile phone as a torch.

Owner Nick Laister said: “Our initial estimates are that power tools to the value of around £3,000 have been stolen. It is a big setback for us because we have to secure funding for everything we do.”

He added: “You can see him walking into and out of the building, going in empty handed and coming out each time with more power tools. Eventually, he spots the CCTV camera and moves it so that it is pointing up to the sky, but not before going right up to the camera to do this! We have uploaded the footage onto our YouTube page and we would ask people to look at the footage and if you think you might know the person who did it, please contact Thames Valley Police and quote crime reference number 43170040318.”

Fairytale Farm’s YouTube channel is www.youtube.com/FairytaleFarmChippingNorton.

The farm opens for the 2017 season this Saturday at 10am.

Mr Laister said: “We hope people will like the changes we have made during the closed season, and this setback will not stop us from opening – it is going to be all hands on deck with manual tools!

“Visitors this half term will be able to try out our brand new interactive features along the Enchanted Walk; press a button and find out what happens, and then smell the plants in our new gardens.

“Have your picture taken by our Giant’s Camera and post your photo on Facebook or send it to yourself by email, then marvel at our new, interactive musical dancing water fountains.

“We have revamped our unique Mouse Town, so experience the family of mice in a whole new light as they explore our beautifully crafted model village. See some new animals in Alfie & Friends, our animal zone; and you will love our new rare breed pigs who look like sheep with their curly coats.”

The farm is open every day until December 24, and there will be a special event running in half term next week from February 13 to 17.