CCTV clue in £10,000 Telford cigarette raid

Wednesday 9th March 2011, 4:22PM GMT.

One of the thieves escapes

Detectives today released CCTV images showing thieves stealing £10,000 of cigarettes from a Telford supermarket and fleeing on a motorbike.

The footage from the Co-operative store in Trench shows the thieves, including a man wearing a black jacket with a white diamond pattern on the front and back, loading the haul of cigarettes during the burglary at 1.20am on Monday.

One of the burglars, wearing a hood, loaded the cigarettes into a green bin or container. The bin was then taken by the rider of the scrambler bike.

Police said the two thieves smashed their way into the store on Wombridge Road by forcing up the roller shutter door and then smashing their way into a separate secure area within the supermarket.

Officers are looking into possible links with other recent shop burglaries where a motorcycle was also used. They also appealed for anyone who had been offered cigarettes for sale to contact Telford police.

Chris Ammonds, spokesman for Telford police, said: “The offender in the CCTV footage is wearing a distinctive black jacket with a white diamond pattern and we would urge anyone who recognises this particular item of clothing to come forward.”

He added: “The scrambler bike which the offenders used to leave the scene is also being sought.”

Police said they were investigating whether the latest incident was linked to a number of other raids where cigarettes were also stolen and also involved a scrambler bike.

It comes six weeks after cigarettes and cash were stolen during a raid at a store and off-licence in Madeley, Telford. On New Year’s Eve, thieves targeted Martins Newsagents in Madeley. In November police revealed there had been 16 similar raids in the previous three months.

View more: Telford news, West Mercia Police news.