Police hunt man who is suspected of stealing 39 accordions worth £130,000 from shop

Thirty nine accordions worth around £130,000 have been stolen from a family-run music shop in Berkshire. Thames Valley Police have released CCTV images of a man wanted in connection with the break-in which happened at The Piano And Accordion Shop in London Road, Sunningdale.



The incident is thought to have occurred between 4pm on August 7 and 9.40am the next day. Bev Lovell, whose grandfather founded the company almost 90 years ago, said that the thieves knew the value of the accordions, as they "left all the cheaper accordions here".



He said: "In this country, accordions aren't recognised as a musical instrument in schools, but in mainland Europe, they are. The demand for these items will certainly be higher in those countries." The shop specialises in selling and repairing accordions, with some worth up to £10,000.



The shop's website has a list of the stolen items, with the owners urging people to contact the shop if they are offered the accordions. Investigating officer Andrew Corbett said: "I am appealing for the man pictured in these images, or anyone who knows him, to please contact Thames Valley Police immediately as we believe he might have vital information about the burglary. We believe the man might have links to Port Talbot, so I would encourage communities in that area of South Wales to share our appeal and these pictures."