Acting Sgt Phil Ryder said a business owner left his home in High Street for just four hours yesterday when he was broken into and thousands of dollars in cash was stolen.

Sgt Ryder said offenders broke in through a rear window and took at least three coin tins and a safe containing cash and personal documents between 12pm and 4pm.

An elderly man also reported a theft of a ride-on mower valued at $2000 yesterday.

Sgt Ryder said the man, who doesn’t get into his backyard often, only realised his mower had been stolen yesterday but thought it could have been taken in the past three weeks.

The AMC brand, green, 13-horsepower ride-on mower was only four years old and he had kept it underneath a lean-to shed in his Barkly Street home.

Sgt Ryder asked Rutherglen residents to keep an eye out for any people or cars that seem out of place in the town and report it to police.

He said even the smallest bit of information could be key to solving the crimes. Anyone with information should phone Rutherglen police on (02) 6032 9612.