Police in Devizes have appealed to the public to help them catch a heartless thief who broke into an elderly woman’s home while she was in hospital.

The house, in Hopgood Close, Devizes, belonging to a 75-year-old woman, had its rear patio door smashed before the burglar ransacked the property.

Sgt Ronnie Lungu of Devizes police said: “We don’t yet know what was stolen because the householder is still in hospital and we will need to wait for her to come home before she can tell us what’s missing.”

Anyone who saw suspicious activity in the area between February 16 and 18 is asked to contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.