Detectives are linking a recent spate of booze and cigarettes burglaries at rural retail premises and a car theft in Ashford.

The garage shop in Dymchurch was the first business to be targeted, in the early hours of Tuesday 3 January when thieves removed panels of re-enforced glass, broke into a cigarette locker and stole a large quantity of cigarettes.

A newsagent in Martello Drive was burgled in the early hours of Thursday 5 January. The glass panel of a door was removed and cigarettes and vodka worth several thousand pounds were taken.

A shop in Tally Ho Road was burgled at about 1.20am on Friday 6 January when Police say intruders smashed the glass in a door and cigarettes worth around £1,000 were stolen.

On the same night a car, believed to be a small silver hatchback, was reversed into the front door of a shop in Rolvenden High Street and about £150 worth of whisky and beer was taken.

The final break-in occurred some time between 2.35am and 2.42am on Thursday 12 January when a red Ford Ka reversed into the door of a shop in New Romney High Street and a large quantity of cigarettes was stolen.

The Ka had been stolen from Ashford in the early hours of Sunday 8 January.

Detective Inspector Mark Weller said detectives were linking the five crimes and he urged people to remain vigilant.

He said officers had been out speaking to owners of rural businesses to make them aware of the burglaries and to offer crime prevention advice.

He added: "We believe that the offenders have used a small silver hatchback car to commit two of the crimes, the burglaries in Tally Ho Road and Rolvenden.

"We are appealing for anyone who may have information about the five break-ins to contact us on 101 or Kent Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 quoting crime number ZY/509/12."
 

© Hawkinge Gazette and Channel Coast News 2012