LONDON — British police are seeking a burglar who may have a heavy conscience — or pockets — after stealing 15,000 pounds ($21,500) in 1-pound ($1.43) coins.

Greater Manchester police said Friday that three houses on a street in Ashton-Under-Lyne, northwest England, were robbed on Jan. 1. The culprits stole designer handbags, jewelry, a Range Rover and the trove of coins.

It wasn’t clear why the coins were kept in the house. Constable Dinesh Mistry said the haul weighed “the same as two average-sized women, or almost 10 cases of wine.”

He said police have asked local businesses to keep an eye out for a large number of pound coins. He said, “It is hard to miss 15,000 pounds in pound coins, so we believe someone must know something about this crime.”