THIEVES escaped with more than £30,000 of camera equipment after smashing their way through the wall of a Southampton shop - five months after an identical raid on its sister branch in the city.

Staff at Jessops on East Street returned to work to find most of their stock stolen by burglars who took dozens of digital, film and video cameras in the overnight raid.

Police believe it is the same gang that struck at another branch of the same firm on nearby Commercial Road five months ago.

That time they escaped with a similar value of goods.

Detectives investigating the latest break-in say they are linking the two as the same method of breaking through a wall was used in both cases.

The break-in happened sometime between midnight and 4am on Friday and police are keen to speak to anyone who may have witnessed anything suspicious.

Det Con Neil Smith said: "We believe the burglars got up on the first floor roof and then broke their way into the staffroom and into the store room where the cameras and video equipment was kept.

"They literally broke through the wall that was big enough for a person to fit through and get to the goods.

"It was the same method used at a break-in at the Commercial Road branch in August last year."

He added: "This was a high value break-in and we would ask anyone who knows anything about this or the previous burglary to contact police."

Officers believe the goods that were stolen could now be destined for the black market and are urging members of the public to report anyone who attempts to sell very cheap camera equipment.

Symon Powell, company director at Jessops, said: "We confirm that on Thursday evening, our store at East Street, Southampton was the subject of a burglary.

"The break-in happened outside normal trading hours, and the premises were unmanned at the time.

"A limited amount of stock, primarily digital cameras, was taken and we are providing the police with every assistance in their inquiries."