A SMALLholder is convinced her animals are being watched by a hungry thief after five baby chicks were stolen.

Jenny and Francis Pine keep ponies, ducks, chickens and guinea pigs at their house off Horspath Road, Oxford.

The couple claim they have been repeatedly targeted by thieves who have stolen ducks and eggs from their garden over the years.

Mrs Pine said she now believes someone could be watching and waiting for the chance to pounce, after two hens and six bantam chicks were taken on Friday.

Mrs Pine, 58, said even her cocker spaniel Willow was upset at the loss of the birds.

She said: “I know it sounds silly, but she loved those birds.She would sit and watch them for hours.

“This has happened five times now. It makes me feel very scared and worried that somebody could be watching us.”

At Christmas, the couple discovered their three Cayuga ducks, worth more than £100, had been taken from their garden.

Footprints in the heavy snow were discovered going into, and out of, the garden from the nearby Shotover nature reserve.

At the time, Mrs Pine said she thought someone had taken the birds for the dinner table.

Spokesman for Thames Valley Police, Chris Kearney, said three incidents of bird thefts at the address had been reported in the past year.

He said: “The neighbourhood team are aware that this has been the third such theft reported from the property.

“Officers have attended and have spoken to the occupant.

“At the moment there are no witnesses and no CCTV footage but we are appealing for people who know or may have seen anything to come forward.”

Mrs Pine said she had been advised by police to install CCTV, but added: “It’s so expensive to do that.

“It makes me very angry that people take what is not theirs.”

Anyone with information should call 08458 505505, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.