THIEVES STOLE a £10,000 haul of cigarettes during a raid at a Telford supermarket in the early hours of today.

The burglars smashed their way into the Co-operative in Trench at 1.20am before taking the cigarettes and fleeing on a scrambler motorbike.

Police said the thieves forced up the roller shutter doors at the store in Wombridge Road before breaking into another secure area within the supermarket.

Officers were called to the scene but the burglars had fled on a red and white scrambler bike.

Police today said an investigation was under way and urged anyone who saw or heard anything to come forward.

Officers are looking into possible links with other recent burglaries where a motorcycle was also used in shop raids. CCTV was also being studied and police appealed for anyone who had been offered cigarettes for sale to contact them.

Denise Wakefield, Telford police spokeswoman said: “The scene has been secured and scenes-of-crime officers will be carrying out their investigations today.

“Both offenders were wearing dark-coloured jogging bottoms and trainers. One of the offenders had a distinctive diamond pattern on the back of his top.”

Mrs Wakefield added: “Police are investigating the burglary and are appealing to anyone with information to come forward.

“It is highly likely that offenders will try and sell the cigarettes, so if you are offered any cigarettes for sale in suspicious circumstances or if you recognise the offenders or the bike from the description given, please come forward.”

Police said they were investigating whether the latest incident was linked to a number of other supermarket and off-licence raids where cigarettes were also stolen and also involved a motocross-style bike.

It comes just six weeks after about 1,000 cigarettes and £200 cash were stolen during a raid at a store and off-licence in Madeley where two or three men in dark clothing fled on an orange trials bike.

And on New Year’s Eve, thieves targeted Martins Newsagents in Madeley, Telford. In November police revealed there had been 16 similar raids in the previous three months.

Anybody with information can contact Telford police on 0300 333 3000.

By Crime Correspondent Kirsty Smallman