A CARE home owner has hit out at police for what he says is failing to act upon two thefts at his premises in the last four months.

Dennis Thompson, owner of the Engleburn Rest Home in New Milton, has had over £7,000 of building equipment stolen from the site on two separate occasions.

It was back in August when £5,000 worth of roofing equipment for the 44-bed extension being built at the home on Milford Road, was stolen in broad daylight.

Two weeks later, after seeing a notice posted in the entrance hallway of the home, a relative of one of the residents came forward as an eyewitness, saying they had seen the incident.

The witness told Mr Thompson he had even spoken to the suspect, thinking they were just one of the workers on the site.

Having already reported the theft to the non-emergency number at New Milton police station, Mr Thompson got back in touch with the police when he was contacted again by the eyewitness, telling him they had seen the suspect working at a house nearby.

Dennis told the Daily Echo: "I went round and spoke to the owner of the house, getting the details of the person, which I immediately rang and gave to the police.

"I expected him to be arrested immediately but instead I find nothing has been done."

Mr Thompson suffered another bout of bad luck when a lock-up facility was broken into earlier this month with another £2,000 of roofing felt being stolen.

"This time I phoned the emergency 999 number and an officer came straight out to see me and take a statement. This was the first time I had actually seen anyone since it all began, he said.

"I just can't understand where the police are coming from. I gave them the suspect's details weeks ago. I just don't think I am going to get anywhere with them.

"People should start shouting about things like this or it will just continue to go unnoticed."

A spokesperson for Hampshire Police said: "Operationally and tactically we are not always available to release information. In this particular incident the operation is still active and ongoing."