THIEVES have stolen a pair of antique enamel signs from the garden of a home in York.

The signs, which date back to the Victorian era, were taken from outside a house in Tadcaster Road, between Monday and Thursday last week, and are worth about £450.

Mick Popka has owned the signs for 40 years and has offered a reward to anyone who can provide information which leads to the return of the signs, and successful prosecution of the thieves.

He said: “One of the two signs is unique, in that it advertises a long gone brass bed manufacturer who were located in High Ousegate, York, called Brown Brothers Taylor.

“They might be of value to a collector, but the main value is because of the local history and connection.”

The second sign is an advertisement for Spratts Bird Food, which looks similar to the photo, but Mr Popka, 58, said a number of replica signs had been stolen from his property on previous occasions.

He said: “They’re part of a collection, I’ve got about 60 of them which I’ve now moved. I’ve spoken to local antique shops and handed out fliers with pictures of the signs, so they can have a look out for them.

“A number of other items have have been stolen from my garden in the past which I haven’t bothered reporting, they were stapled to a fence, but of so little value I didn’t bother reporting them.”

PC Steven Gillespie, of North Yorkshire Police, said: “Anyone who is offered either of these unusual Victorian signs for sale, please phone us on 101, or email steven.gillespie@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk”