THIEVES ram-raided a convenience store and stole hundreds of pounds’ worth of scratchcards.
The burglars drove a car into the metal shutters, buckling them, to get entry into the Tesco Express in the early hours of yesterday morning.
People staying at a pub just across the road were disturbed by the noise called 999.
But when police turned up at the store, in Nutshalling Close, Calmore, the thieves had already driven off, having helped themselves to a cabinet near the tills containing £399 of Lotto scratchcards.
Detectives are now investigating the break-in, which happened at around 12.10am, and are appealing for help to find those responsible.
They know an older-style Ford Focus was used in the raid which then sped off from the scene.
They are now examining CCTV in the hope of identifying them, but are urging anyone who witnessed the burglary or saw the car to come forward.
It is the second such break-in of its kind in the area in recent weeks.
The Daily Echo reported on October 13 how thieves made off with £6,000 worth of cigarettes after a smash-andgrab raid at the Co-op in Totton.
A group of three people targeted the shop at around 4.30am on October 12, attempting to smash the safety glass window using a concrete block.
They then used a “for sale” post to remove the entire window in one piece, before forcing open the metal shutters of the cigarette cabinet behind the counter.
Tobacco thieves have now struck 27 times at newsagents, convenience stores and post offices across the south of the county since the beginning of August.
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