Three people have been arrested over a spate of break-ins in the New Forest in the space of five months.

A man and a woman were detained at a property in Efford Way, Pennington after police executed a warrant on Wednesday morning.

A second man was arrested at a property in Totton.

The operation, which also included a warrant at a location in Vaggs Lane, Hordle, comes after several residential burglaries were reported in Lymington, Pennington and Milford on Sea, between July and November.

The first suspect, a 52-year-old from Totton, was arrested on suspicion of four burglaries – one in Pennington on Sunday, July 2, two in Lymington on Friday, November 17, and another one in Lymington the following day.

The woman, who is 53 and from Pennington, was arrested on suspicion of conspiring to commit burglary.

At another address in Totton, a 45-year-old man, of no fixed abode, was arrested on suspicion of two burglaries – one in Pennington on Sunday, July 2, and one in Milford on Sea on Friday, August 18.

All three have been released on conditional police bail while enquiries continue.

In a statement, New Forest Inspector and Business Crime Lead, Darren Ord, said: “Officers continue to tackle those suspected of committing burglaries across the New Forest, but can only do so with the support and information from our communities.

"As our extra eyes and ears on the ground, please continue to let us know about suspicious activity in the area in which you live.”

The inspector added: "The more information you share with us, the more we can develop this, and the more action we can take, including the execution of warrants and the targeting of criminals causing the most harm to our communities."