A rare and valuable tortoise was killed by burglars who made off with its housemate from a Woodingdean home.
The pair, worth a total of £10,000, were hibernating with one more in a shed in the back garden of a house in Balsdean Road when the burglars struck on Sunday night.
While they made off over a fence with the two male reptiles, one of them was dropped on its head. The owner later discovered it dead.
The theft happened between 6pm on Sunday and 5.30am on Monday. Call Sussex Police on 0845 60 70 999, quoting serial 453 of February 1.