Furnishings and gadgets designed to aid the elderly were stolen in what is believed to have been a chance theft from a sales representative's van.

More than £4,000 worth of equipment was taken from the white Mercedes Vito, parked outside the rep's home in Dalton-le-Dale, near Seaham.

The theft must have taken place between 6pm on Wednesday, and 8am yesterday, when the van was parked in Dene Road.

Items taken included a Supro board, worth £1,500, a Sam seating system, valued at £1,000, three £200 Foxdenton plastic chairs, in blue, green and grey, each with a side piece, three Samson padded chairs, worth £400 each, and several boxes of spare parts, plus a cantilever tool box and contents, worth £150.

Most of them are demonstration models which the salesman takes to hospitals and families of the disabled in the North and Scotland.

They are intended for disabled people and will have little value to anyone on the black market.

Police believe the thief or thieves probably had no idea what they were taking, and may now have dumped them when they took a closer look.

Otherwise, they were stolen to order, but that theory is believed unlikely.

Anyone with information should ring Seaham CID, on 0191-581 2255, or via the Crimestoppers confidential free phone line, on (0800) 555111.