Up to 30 rare and valuable antique accordions have been stolen from a house in Co Down. The PSNI said the instruments, some of which are more than 50 years old, were worth “a considerable amount of money”.
The owner of the accordions was visited at his home in Comber last Saturday by two men who said they were interested in buying an accordion for a relative. The man agreed to meet them in west Belfast on Monday to discuss the deal further but they did not show up.
The man returned to his house that evening to find his motorhome had been stolen and his house burgled. The accordions and a quantity of jewellery were taken.
Police believe the instruments may have already been taken out of Northern Ireland and have released photographs of similar accordions in the hope that they can be recovered. They are appealing to anyone with information on the whereabouts of the instruments or who is offered something similar for sale in suspicious circumstances to contact them.
The two suspects are described as having southern Irish accents. Both were aged 40-50, of slim build and wearing casual clothes.
The motor home was a six-berth white Fiat Ducato.