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'Ghouls' ransack murder cottage
GHOULISH burglars are repeatedly breaking in to a remote cottage where a man was assassinated to steal trophies from the murder scene... and to hunt for the dead man's fortune.
Today the owners of Keeper's Cottage, where wealthy gamekeeper Neil Bacon was stabbed to death by a hired hitman, warned intruders to stay away and promised: "There's absolutely nothing of value hidden there."
Mr Bacon was murdered nearly two years ago, in a plot by his wife Susan and son Michael to seize his 350,000 fortune, part of which was stashed at his house on the edge of Clumber Park near Worksop.
The cottage, now boarded up, was an official crime scene until last month. Burglars have broken in six times in the last year, believing cash is still hidden there.
Officials acting for the landowning company which owns the cottage spoke out today as police renewed a plea for the public to identify an intruder snapped by CCTV cameras.
Henry Spencer, who works for chartered surveyors King West, said: "There are people in the criminal world who seem to think there's a hidden sum of money waiting to be found at the cottage, but they need to know there's nothing there, absolutely nothing at all."
Police finally emptied all the family's possessions from the cottage last month.
Mr Spencer said: "The cottage was treated as a crime scene until that point with the result that nothing could be moved, but the place is now completely empty. We have been able to take possession once again.
"There was a considerable sum of money at the property at the time of the murder. Some it was found by the police inside Mr Bacon's gun cabinet. But the cash is long gone, and there's no reason for anyone to break into the cottage now.
"I'd like to see the message get through to those people who have been targeting the property so frequently. It really is time now for everyone to move on, and leave the place alone."
Local people suspect some of the intruders may have broken in to grab souvenirs.
One woman living nearby said: "There's been a lot of ghoulish curiosity about the case since all the evidence came out at court.
"People have been coming and going to the cottage at all hours of the day and night. We're just glad now there's nothing left inside to steal."
Mr Bacon, aged 50, died after being stabbed six times by hitman Peter Jacques, 29, on the drive of his woodland cottage in November 2008.
His wife Susan, 55, and son Michael, 21, who had promised Jacques 20,000 to carry out the killing, pretended Mr Bacon had been the victim of a botched burglary.
They were arrested soon afterwards.
Debt-ridden Susan Bacon, who was said to have organised the cold-blooded killing out of "greed and loathing", was found guilty of murder last December.
She was jailed for 24 years at Nottingham Crown Court.
Michael Bacon, who also had considerable debts, was sentenced to 21 years.
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Jacques had his 28-year minimum term reduced to 26 years on appeal last month.
Police say the latest mystery intruder was caught on camera inside the property early on Saturday July 24.
A detective said: "We don't think anything was stolen on this occasion, but we'd like the public to identify the man.
"We need to get the message out that there's nothing at the property - no cash, no valuables, nothing at all."
Anyone with information is asked to call Det Con Iain Stocks on 0300 300 9999 extension 807 7232 or they can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
SARAH CRABTREE
Assistant News Editor
sarah crabtree
Assistant News Editor
Scene of horror: The Clumber Park cottage where Neil Bacon was stabbed to death is empty, but raiders keep breaking in to search for souvenirs or the late owner's fortune
Murdered: Neil Bacon
Who is it?: Suspect on CCTV
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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