Appeal for witnesses after ram-raid thieves target village stores

THIEVES stole thousands  of pounds worth of  cigarettes and tobacco in  four minutes after reversing their van through  a  shop’s front doors.

Police are appealing for  witnesses following the  ram-raid at a Nisa supermarket and garage  early  yesterday morning.

Two men wearing  balaclavas reversed the  silver-coloured Vauxhall Astra van several times into  the glass doors of the Lapford store  at 4.15am.

CCTV footage, which is  being reviewed by police,  shows the men run across  the shop and jump over the  counter where they break  into the cigarette cabinet  using a crowbar.

The store’s manager Helen Barker, 27 said: “The  shop’s electronic sliding  door was smashed and had  completely caved in.

 “I rang the police and  they arrived within 20 minutes. We watched the CCTV  footage and saw the whole  incident.

“The two men were wearing balaclavas and gloves.  They reversed their van into the glass doors several  times before it was  smashed enough for them  to get in.

“After they’d managed to  open the cabinet with a  crowbar, they ripped the  shelves out of the unit and  started loading the tobacco  into bin bags.

 “When one was finishing  off, the other loaded the  van.

“Then they got in and  drove off towards Egglesford.

“I haven’t been able to do  a stock count yet, but I  know that several thousand  pounds worth has been  stolen.

“Although the men were  wearing gloves, they left behind several items, including tools and bin bags so,  hopefully, the police will be  able to get some more evidence from them.

“The men appear to be  white and both have a  stocky build.

“The damage and inconvenience caused has been  very upsetting. It is unfortunate that there are people  out there capable of doing  this.”

Detective Sergeant Pete  Boorn, of Tiverton CID,  said: “A substantial quantity of cigarettes was  stolen.

“We have recovered what  appears to be shelving from  the break in that had been  dumped on the side of the  road on Exmoor.”

Lapford parish councillor for  Peter Heal said: “The  incident is dreadful and  isn’t the sort of thing you  expect to see in the village.

“I hope this is not something we have to get used to,  but unfortunately these are  the times we live in,” he  said.

Anyone with information about the incident  should contact Tiverton  CID via the police’s main  switchboard number 08452  777444, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800  555111.