POLICE are appealing for help in tracing two men following a burglary at a Suffolk farm.

Closed circuit television camera pictures have been released by police following the incident in Stoke-by-Clare earlier this month, in which a number of items were stolen.

John Holles had left his workshop at his cottage home for just 30 minutes but kept the three CCTV cameras that protect his cottage and garage running.

When he returned he discovered cable, copper and brass plumbing items had been stolen.

He found images of people entering the yard on CCTV - but Mr Holles was then stunned when he called his police station and was told they couldn’t see him for nine days.

Mr Holles said: “I popped out to the shops for half an hour and when I got back I discovered that thieves had entered my garage and stolen all my stock of electrical cable and plumbing fittings.

“I called the police explaining that I believed I had useful evidence and was astonished to be told the earliest they could send an officer was on Friday, March 23.”

But Suffolk police said, when they had appreciated the value of the potential evidence, they sent an officer to interview 53-year-old Mr Holles and collect the CCTV footage the following day.

Det Supt Stuart Sedgwick said: “It was wholly inappropriate for that type of crime to be responded to in that time.

“Where there is evidence of who committed a crime our response should have been much faster and I apologise to Mr Holles.”

Police issued an appeal to trace the suspects yesterday.

They say the incident happened at 1.20pm on Wednesday March 14.

Anyone who recognises either of the two men in the CCTV pictures released yesterday is urged to contact Pc Carl Edley on 101, quoting crime number HH/12/580 or call Crimestoppers confidentially on 0800 555 111.