A LARGE amount of cash was stolen when careless thieves broke into an elderly couple's home.

The incident happened sometime between 6pm and 10.45pm on Saturday, July 4 at an address on Weardale Drive, in Bishop Auckland

The couple, in their 60s and 70s, who were out at the time of the offence came home to discover their house had been burgled.

It is believed the suspects forced entry by smashing a glass panel in the back door and once inside searched the house and removed a large sum of money from the main bedroom.

DC Andrew MacLintock, from Bishop CID said: “The victims are really shaken by the incident and are in ill health.

“We understand that there may have been a lot of people around at the time of the incident as there had been a local charity bike ride taking place close by so I would appeal to anyone there who saw anything suspicious to contact us.”

Anyone with information should contact Bishop CID on 101 quoting incident number 514 of July 4 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555111.