Businessman's shock at burglary

A WEALTHY Suffolk businessman has told of his shock at discovering that burglars had ransacked the kitchen of his newly-renovated country home and removed thousands of pounds worth of appliances.

Colin Davey, who bought the 11-bedroomed Coney Weston Hall and its 1,500-acre estate three years ago, had just paid for the kitchen, which was designed with the help of a chef, to be cleaned to make it ready for use when the house was raided, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Giving evidence yesterday, Mr Davey said that among items removed by the burglars were an American-style fridge freezer, a gas Aga, a microwave oven, a coffee maker and a cooking range, which included an indoor barbecue.

He said that some of the items would have needed two or three people to have removed them from the premises.

He said that when he was called to the house by builders following the discovery of the burglary he found that the intruders had entered the premises by breaking glass in a French door.

When he entered the house through the back door he immediately noticed that the doorframe had been badly damaged by a large object being carried through it.

He also noticed “massive” scratch marks on the newly-tiled kitchen floor where the kitchen's appliances had been dragged out.

He said there were large gaps around the kitchen where the appliances had been removed and there was also water on the floor.

He also discovered that some radiators and lengths of copper piping had also been stolen.

Mr Davey said that he was shocked to see the damage as he had been planning to use the kitchen and he had arranged for all the appliances to be replaced straight away.

He said his insurance policy had not covered the entire loss and he had been left £42,000 out of pocket as a result of the break-in.

Before the court is Karl Piggin, 24, of Hillmead, Norwich, who has denied being involved in the burglary in March last year.

Peter Gair, prosecuting, said that as part of the renovation work at Coney Weston Hall, Mr Davey had spent thousands of pounds on kitchen appliances.

In March last year he had paid for the kitchen to be cleaned to make it ready for use and had locked up the premises after the cleaner had left.

The following day Mr Davey was contacted by builders who had arrived at the house and discovered the burglary.

Mr Gair said that pieces of a latex glove discovered in the kitchen were found to have Piggin's DNA on them.

The prosecutor said the chances of DNA found on the glove coming from anyone other than Piggin was “one in a billion”.

The trial continues today.

jane.hunt@eadt.co.uk