CAR boot sales will be at the centre of a search for stolen goods across the New Forest over the next few weeks.

The crackdown comes in the wake of a big rise in burglaries from outbuildings, with lawnmowers, chainsaws, hedge trimmers and golf clubs all being stolen.

Lyndhurst based Chief Insp Keith Deakin said that in the last week of May, there were 30 break-ins at outbuildings compared with 14 in the same week last year.

He added: "The good weather has probably contributed to this spate of crime, with more residents gardening and doing other outdoor tasks and not remembering to lock their sheds, garages and other outbuildings."

In a bid to trace some of the stolen property, undercover police will be looking for the rogue dealers who sell on the stolen goods at boot sales and other secondhand goods markets.

"They will be provided with information regarding particular items which have been stolen, not just in the New Forest but in neighbouring police divisions as well, so they will know what they are looking for," Chief Insp Deakin explained.

He also appealed for help from the public and said: "We're being proactive and determined to catch the people who burgle and steal, but we do need help.

"The public are our eyes and ears and I would appeal to anyone who sees any suspicious activity to contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."

He also warned the public that if they obtained stolen goods through paying "an incredibly low price for them," they might have difficulty in convincing a court that they did not obtain them without knowing or believing them to have been stolen.

The appeal won immediate support from New Forest Council, which urged people to make life difficult for villains by locking sheds and other outbuildings.