POLICE are hunting for a thief who was disturbed by a young boy who was asleep upstairs in his Hampshire home.

The man smashed his way into the house in Broadwater Road, Southampton, via a patio door, stealing a safe from an office, which contained personal papers and jewellery.

It was during his ransacking of the home, that an 11-year-old boy, who was sleeping upstairs, was woken up and disturbed the thief, who quickly left the scene, in what was believed to be a small MPV-style vehicle.

The man is described as white, in his late 20s, with a dark goatee beard. He was wearing dark clothing and a black beanie hat.

PC Simon Murray said: “I need to hear from people in the vicinity of the burglary who saw a car leaving the area at speed. The offence took place at the end of the school day, and there would have been may people doing the school run.”

Anyone who recognises the man in the image or who has information the incident, which happened on December 12 at around 3.35pm, should contact PC Murray at Bitterne CID on 101.