Sussex Advertiser and Surrey Gazette December 20 1864

Cuckfield 

A number of robberies have been committed here during the past few days which may be partly accounted for by the number of tramps that have been lurking about the neighbourhood. The other day someone helped themselves to four or five pairs of stockings which were hung out to dry, not far from Haywards Heath, and at the same time a neighbouring cottager had her clothes line stolen.

On Sunday morning some pilfering rascal stole into the house of a poor man, carter to Mr Mac Adam, while he was absent at the stable, and cleared the contents of the cupboard, taking all the eatables, and the meat intended for Sunday's dinner.

On Tuesday evening a more daring robbery took place; this time at the house of Mr Kenward, grocer. It seems that the shop had been left for a few minutes, and during this time someone entered, lent over the counter and took £3 in gold, and a cheque for £6, the payment of which has been subsequently stopped.

On Thursday morning Mr Turner’s carter, of Balcombe, left the house for the stable at 5:30, his master was down quite by six, but in the interval some one slipped in and stole a quantity of wearing apparel from the hall. A few days ago one of these rascals stole the dinners of the Carter and his mate from the stable while they were at the plough. They have all got clear off, despite the efforts of the police.

On Wednesday, a lad was detected in the act of stealing a chain from a wagon, at Lindfield, and handed over to be dealt with by the magistrates.