HUNGRY thieves shunned expensive tools, a guitar and other pricey goods... to pinch meat from a Westcliff family’s freezer.

Matt and Gail Keane had their 7th wedding anniversary celebrations on Saturday tarnished by the theft.

Echo:

Raiders - the thieves made a beeline for the freezer

Thieves broke into their garage on Cleveland Drive, Westcliff, and stole about £200 worth of meat from their freezer.

The couple had only just been shopping and stocked up.

Mr and Mrs Keane, aged 30 and 41 respectively, who have an 18-month-old daughter, Ursula, were left baffled by the crime, as the thieves chose to leave a guitar, a guitar amp, and expensive tools left in the garage which were together worth a lot more.

Mr Keane said: “It’s very unusual. We woke up to find one of the glass windows had been removed from the garage, and all of the meat from the freezer was gone.

“The tools I had in there hadn’t been touched, they literally took no notice of them.

It wasn’t just legs of lamb they took, they took pre-prepared meats we’d cooked and stored in Tupperware too.

“I just don’t know how to rationalise it. I was angry on the day but I can see the funny side now. It’s just so weird.

“My only comment to them would be that I hope they get food poisoning.”

Mrs Keane said: “I think they made a break for it over the neighbour’s fences.

“It’s the most bizarre thing you would want to steal, it’s hard to think some people would like to steal things like that.

“It just doesn’t make sense.

“It must be the most weird crime to ever commit.”

Essex Police are investigating the incident.

A spokesman said: “We received a report that meat was taken during a burglary at an address in Cleveland Drive, Westcliff at some time between 10.30pm on June 8 and 9am on June 9.”

Call 101 quoting 42/90336/19 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.