Hunt for man wanted over Barnham burglaries moves to the railway

Sussex Police has already offered a £1,000 reward in a bid to trace Simon Peter Knights, 38, who officers want to interview about several burglaries in the village.

The force now believes that he is travelling by train along the South Coast and London to Brighton routes.

There were four burglaries and one attempted burglary, at addresses in Barnham, during the day on Monday, June 16, and a burglary during the day in Park Road, Burgess Hill, on Thursday, June 19.

Two addresses in Downview Road, one in Elm Grove and one in Barnham Road, Barnham, were broken into and jewellery was taken.

An unsuccessful attempt was made to enter another Barnham Road home.

In the Burgess Hill burglary several hundreds of pounds’ worth of jewellery was taken.

Knights is white, about 5ft 8ins, and has ginger hair and blue eyes.

Detective Inspector David Wardley-Wilkins said; “We have information that Knights travels regularly by train and we are working with British Transport Police to see if we can trace him in that way too.”

Officers are also making enquiries in East Sussex and in the Southend and Basildon areas of south Essex, where Knights is known to have connections.

The reward is offered subject to arrest and conviction for one or more of the offences.

DCI Wardley-Wilkins added: “If you know where Knights is please contact Sussex Police via 101 or email [email protected] quoting serial 840 of 16/06. You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

Sussex Police launched Operation Magpie to tackle burglaries in the county.