Fishing rod thieves leave loot in Burgess Hill allotment

Lynne Wheeler and her husband Mike woke up on Saturday morning to find their fishing rod had disappeared from their garden shed in America Lane, Haywards Heath.

“They took all our fishing road landing nets and handles bank sticks,” said Lynne.

“My tackle bag with two reels in it plus two bite alarms, £100 worth of floats alone, hooks, weights, leads, and other items.”

The couple are especially distraught as they say it is the only active hobby they can do.

“It’s the only thing we can do that our bodies allow us to do. We are both registered disabled.”

Lynne said the break-in has not helped their conditions.

“Hubby has oesteo arthritis and polymyalgia. I suffer from fibromyalgia and the stress has caused both of us to suffer flare ups.”

Lynne said she thinks the total amount stolen totals about £1,650.

“We got told just tot it all up and call the insurance company. I’m so disheartened. I cant sleep for fear of them coming back now they know what else is in the shed.

“We both go fishing to relax,” said Lynne. “We’ve been fishing for the last 43 years. We’ve built up our gear over the last 30 years or so.”

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: “We were called at 8am on Saturday (3 January) with a report that a shed had been broken into.

“It is believed that a number of fishing rods and fishing equipment were stolen from the shed between 3am and 5am.

“Houses in the area have been visited as part of the investigation to reassure the victims and to look for anyone with information. The shed is in a garden that backs onto allotments. A quantity of fishing equipment has since been recovered after it was found abandoned at the allotments.”

Lynne has the rod bag back but said the tackle bag is still missing.