Crime’ field on police beet

LITTLEPORT farmer Geoff Norman s sugar beet field has become a hiding place for criminals stashing their loot. On Monday, a team of police frogmen were called in after an exploded safe was found hidden in a drainage ditch on the land. It s the second time

LITTLEPORT farmer Geoff Norman's sugar beet field has become a hiding place for criminals stashing their loot.

On Monday, a team of police frogmen were called in after an exploded safe was found hidden in a drainage ditch on the land.

It's the second time Geoff's field at New River Bank has become a crime scene.

Four years ago, police discovered the biggest ever seizure of drugs discovered in the same field.

"I'm getting quite used to it now," he said. "It all happens here in Littleport. I don't know why they choose my field above anyone else's, it's just off the beaten track and somewhere where they can hide and still fairly close to the village but it's not far from the A10 and the road leads to nowhere so there is no traffic at night."

The safe, which had been blasted in two, is believed to have been stolen during a house burglary in Norfolk in August.

It was empty but papers were strewn through the undergrowth and police are carrying out further inquiries in an attempt to trace the owner.

The safe was discovered by nearby Riverside campsite owners Vanessa and Steve Wood who were out walking their dogs.

They called West Norfolk Police who sent a team of frogmen to recover it.

A spokeswoman said: "The safe is believed to be linked to an isolated house burglary in the Norfolk area in August. Further enquiries are now being undertaken in relation to this matter."

She added that there was no link at this time to the arrests made in Millfield, Littleport, in October in relation to a spate of armed robberies across Norfolk.