RAIDERS got away with jewellery worth around £17,000 after breaking into a house at Rownhams. Police say the burglars targeted an isolated property in the Toot Hill area of the village on Wednesday afternoon and used pillow cases to carry away their haul.

A pair of earrings with three carat Gassan diamonds, worth in the region of £5,000, and a man’s silver-grey Rolex Oyster watch valued at £4,950 was amongst the stolen property. A man’s cream and ivory Rotary watch worth about £850 and a ladies’ Swiss-made Longines gold-coloured watch estimated to be worth £700 were nabbed too. The remaining stolen property, worth around £5,500, included five gold necklaces and two gold bracelets and a mobile phone. One of the bracelet and necklaces were a matching pair and the police say they are valued at more than £3,000.

French doors were forced to gain entry at the house where a thorough but untidy search was made of rooms.

Detectives are now appealing for the public to help officers track down the burglars. No pictures have been issued of the stolen property.

Anyone with information about the burglary which happened between 2pm and 4.15pm on December 4 is asked to contact PC Lisa White at Southampton Central Police Station on 101.