'What ferret nicked my precious pet polecats?'
A FORLORN ferret fancier is hoping the thieves who stole his pets will bring them back.
Sywell resident Stephen Johnson, age 57, has kept ferrets and polecats for the past 12 years.
He had 20 of the animals, but thieves who broke into his garden over the weekend snatched five from their cages.
Mr Johnson said he had no idea why the four polecats and single white ferret had been targeted by the animal snatchers.
He said: "I just can't understand it at all. They're not valuable to anyone, apart from us.
"I don't think anyone who was trying to sell them would get anything more than 1 for each of them."
Three of the polecats were black and white with a bit of tan, and the other was tan and white.
They were taken, along with a white ferret, from their hutches, which were not locked.
Police officers investigating the theft believe it happened sometime between 8pm on Saturday and lunchtime on Sunday.
Mr Johnson said two of the polecats which were targeted by the thieves were so old he believed there was a chance they would not survive their ordeal.
He said: "I've no idea why they picked out the ones they did and left the others, other than the polecats are slightly prettier than the others. But two of the males they've taken are so old they've probably not got long left anyway.
"I've kept them as pets for a long while and I've never known anything like this before. To be honest, I would doubt it's kids who have taken them, but you never know.
"They've been with us for so long they're like members of the family and I'd urge anyone who knows where they are to contact the police."
Anyone who might know anything about the theft, or who is offered ferrets for sale, can call the police on 08453 700700 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
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