Police search for stolen Zippo lighters (From Wirral Globe)

Police search for stolen Zippo lighters

9:29am Tuesday 9th March 2010

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POLICE are appealing for help in their search for some rare Zippo cigarette lighters that hare been stolen from a house in Eastham.

They were part of a collection of 40 Zippo lighters, which included four very rare ones that when put together formed a forest scene displaying the faces of jungle animals. They are worth around £700.

They were stolen along with a Maurice le Croix wrist watch worth £400 and a Hewlett Packard laptop computer, during a burglary at a house in Bridle Road, which happened sometime between 11pm on Sunday, February 29, and 7am the next morning.

The offenders broke in through a back door while the homeowners were asleep upstairs. No-one saw the incident and no-one was injured.

Detective Inspector Mark Tivendale of Wirral CID, said: "These lighters are very distinctive and unusual in that they are brightly patterned and when the four of them are put together they form a forest scene with animal faces in it.

"They are not your regular kind of silver Zippo light and as such, will be very eye-catching to anyone who is offered them for sale.

"The owner of them is desperate to get them back, along with the watch and the computer, as they are part of a collection of forty which the owner spent a good deal of time and money to put together.

"I would appeal for anyone who is offered them for sale in suspicious circumstances, or comes across them for sale on the internet, to get in touch with the police with any information they have and help us reunite these items with their rightful owner."

Detectives are also urging residents to make it as hard as possible for criminals to steal from them, following several distraction burglaries in Birkenhead and Wallasey, that are not believed to be related to the above incident.

On Tuesday, March 2, two men posing as water board officials gained entry to a house in Asquith Avenue in Birkenhead and stole cash from the homeowner after claiming they were there to sort a problem with the water pressure.

Both offenders were white, around 5ft 8ins tall and one had black hair and was smartly dressed while the other was wearing a multicoloured woollen hat.

And then on Saturday, March 6, at around 9.15pm, a man claiming to be neighbour called at a house in Balfour Road, Wallasey, to say a ball had gone into the homeowner's garden.

While the homeowner was distracted, their purse containing cash was stolen from inside the property.

The offender in this case is described a white, aged between 30 and 40-years-old, with dark-coloured straight hair and a pale face.

In both instances, the occupants were elderly.

Police are investigating both distraction burglaries but DI Tivendale says residents can do several things to stop themselves falling victim to this kind of crime.

He said: "Distraction burglars are callous individuals who prey on the goodwill and trust of law-abiding people, especially I'm sad to say, the elderly.

"We are determined to catch the people responsible and have several positive lines of enquiry that we are working on.

"But the public can play a massive role in making life as hard for these individuals as possible by taking some very simple steps.

"Firstly, people should never let strangers into their home without checking who they are first.

"People who answer their door having not expected a caller should put their door chain on first if they have one.

"They should then ask to see that person's credentials. A genuine caller, someone who really does work for the water board or a utilities company, will not mind one bit in handing over their ID card.

"If you still have any doubts, a genuine caller won't mind waiting outside while you get the number of their company from the phonebook to check that they are who they say they are.

"And finally, if you are still not comfortable, ask them to make an appointment to call back another time and get a relative or neighbour to be with you when you do. By taking these simple steps you can stop yourself falling prey to these conmen."

Anyone with information about any of the offences above is urged to call Wirral CID on 0151 777 2264 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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