A moving van full of furniture was stolen from the front of a house while its owner had gone inside for a few minutes.

Tim Hunt, 30, formerly living with his wife and 12-week-old son at Sandy Lane North, Wallington, had parked the van in front of his house while he was loading it with furniture and other items, as they prepared to move to another address in Sanderstead, South Croydon.

As he went inside to grab a few more things, the culprit drove off in the van, carrying a piano, furniture and Mr Hunt’s honeymoon pictures, with a total value of about £10,000.

He said: “My in-laws hired a van and drove it down from Scotland to help with the moving. We were getting more things from inside the house to load on to it and someone just drove it off.

“My father-in-law had left the key in the ignition, because we didn’t think this kind of thing could happen in Wallington.”

“It’s not just the money, it’s the sentimental value of the pictures and other things.”

Mr Hunt is now appealing for members of the public who might have seen the van or know anything about the theft to contact police.

The van was stolen on Friday, June 19, at 5.30pm, on Sandy Lane North. It was described as a white Luton van, of licence plate number SO06KWX.

“We hope to find it, because we don’t want to have to pay for the insurance and we would like to have our things back,” he said.

A spokesman for Sutton Police said: “The incident happened in Sandy Lane North on Friday 19th June at around 5.30pm. The keys had been left in the ignition.

“The items of furniture in the van included a Walnut upright piano and a mahogany table.

“If you have information about the whereabouts of this van, then please contact Sutton Police Station on 0300 123 1212.”

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