Water rats?
9:24am Thursday 26th July 2007 in News
RESIDENTS are worried that these pictures show looters plundering possessions from flooded-out homes.
Insurance companies have told residents in Covingham to move their sodden carpets, fridges, washing machines, sofas and beds to the front of their houses so damage can be assessed.
Since then there have been at least two sightings of a white Ford transit van in the area.
Residents say they are in the dark and fear looters are targeting the area.
The first happened on Monday when two men parked up in the middle of the close and took away two parts of a peach cream three-piece leather suite from DFS worth £2,500 outside Dave and Carol Tucker's home. The sofa had been outside for a day.
They left in a hurry not even shutting the van doors as they sped away but not before one resident managed to capture the incident on camera.
Mr Tucker, 52, said: "I don't know who they were.
"We were out at the time as we've been staying at the Thistle hotel since the floods got into our property. When we came back the three-seater and two-seater had gone from the front of the house.
"I gave no one permission to take the furniture away.
"I have also checked with the insurance company to make sure they haven't sent anyone to collect it and they definitely haven't.
"It is a little surprising they wanted to take it considering the bottom of it was full of water.
"Maybe they will try and flog it on eBay for a few quid."
Other residents saw the same van again yesterday at 8.20am. They took a note of the number plate and it is the same van that visited Peregrine Close days before.
This time the two men lifted a fridge into the van from another property, but were scared off by Morris Brown.
He said: "They came up in broad daylight and filled their van with what looked like all white goods.
"I couldn't believe it - they were as bold as brass until I eyeballed them.
"As soon as they saw me one of the men must have said come on' to his friend and they drove off straight away."
Other residents have said a man was seen on a roof checking if anyone was inside and how secure windows were.
Linda Fitzpatrick, 58, said: "This is the last thing you want when your house has just been flooded.
"We've been through all that and now to find people are taking furniture is incredible.
"I would put the stuff in the back garden but there isn't enough room out there."
A 38-year-old man, who did not want to be named, said: "We've seen a lot of white vans around here in the last few days.
"It's dreadful knowing people are out there doing this.
"It's causing us even more stress on top of everything else."
Swindon police are now investigating the matter and have confirmed they are treating this incident as theft.
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