A FAMILY is urging yard owners to be vigilant after several attempts have been made to steal from their property in just one week.

During two occasions at the beginning on this month, on Thursday, August 2 and Tuesday, August 7 three people broke into Connie Girvan’s home, just outside of Annbank, where they have a yard for her daughter Sophie’s horses.

It is understood that the culprits visited the property three times in the one night on Thursday, August 2 in an attempt to steal a quad bike.

Connie explained: “It has happened before to us – a year past in September, we did get our quad bike stolen from our back garden and we never got it back. 

“So, this is the second time, but it looks like three boys – when we looked at our CCTV, we’ve noticed that they’ve came on Thursday night into Friday morning as well.

“That’s twice in one week – they’re not there for the horses, they are definitely there for the quadbike.

"I was going out to work and I noticed that the gate was open and then my husband noticed that there was a petrol canister dumped out on the main dirt track and that was when my husband thought ‘something is going on here’.

“I want other people to be aware – that night, they came three times in the same night and one of the times they were there when my husband got in from work and they were there hiding – they just don’t care. We’ve put up extra security cameras and security lights.

“The only thing that gets me is that unless you’ve been into the yard, how would you know where the quad bike was?

"On the Thursday you can see them going into the stable but that night we had a pony in the stable so obviously they must have been a bit apprehensive about going in when the pony was there – I think that’s what put them off the first time.

“I don’t know how they knew where the quad bike was – I think they’ve cased the place beforehand.”

A spokesman for Police Scotland said: “We can confirm that we received a report and inquiries are currently ongoing and we would ask anyone with further information to contact 101.”