A FORMER Sunderland FC footballer has today been named by police as a double boiler burglary suspect.

Lancashire Police said they wanted to trace former Championship midfielder Chris Byrne, 30, in connection with two break-ins at plumbers merchants in the county.

Byrne, from Barrack Street, Hulme in Manchester, played for Sunderland, Macclesfield Town and Stockport County until his career was cut short by injury.

Detective Inspector Andy Murphy, from Lancashire Police said Byrne was a suspect for burglaries at The Plumb Centre in Burnley and the Plumbase in Chorley on November 29.

One man has already been charged in connection with both burglaries.

Mr Murphy said: We are keen to trace Mr Byrne as soon as possible as we believe he has been involved in a number of high value thefts.

It is not just the cost of the stolen property that impacts on the owners of the plumbers merchants, but they also face the costs, in excess of 1 million, to repair their premises and damage to security systems.

Lancashire Polices Serious and Organised Crime Unit said there had been more than 150 burglaries at plumbers merchants across the north of England since February last year.

Each time condensing central heating boilers have been stolen. A spokeswoman for the Unit said the value of the loss in boilers alone amounted to 1.5 million.

Anyone with any information on Byrnes whereabouts is asked to contact police on 01772 614444 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.