Thieves steal Guildford crash victim's Christmas gifts

Thieves stole Christmas presents from a Surrey road crash victim while he was being treated in hospital.

Burglars took gifts worth £1,000 from a house in Wormley on Friday while the 64-year-old female householder was on her way to hospital to see her husband.

He had been seriously injured in a crash in Guildford earlier that day, which killed an elderly man.

Det Con Dan Chant, of Surrey Police, said: "This offence is particularly despicable given the circumstances."

The force said the couple discovered all the gifts from under their Christmas tree, jewellery, cash and a laptop computer had been taken when they returned from hospital late on Friday.

The burglars are believed to have broken into the house through a bathroom window.

Mr Chant added: "The family were already distraught following the car crash and to come home and find this has happened has been heartbreaking for them.

"I am appealing for anyone who may have witnessed any suspicious activity in the area to come forward."

The injured man was a passenger in a Lexus which collided with an Isuzu recovery vehicle in The Street, Compton, at about 10:10 GMT.

The driver of the car, a man in his 80s, was airlifted to the Royal London Hospital, but later died of his injuries.