THIEVES targeted more than 20 allotment plots in one night.

Green-fingered Mike Carr was one of the gardeners left out of pocket when his shed was among those ransacked during the spree at the Moorgreen Road allotments in West End.

He says that in total 24 sheds were broken into and searched with items put outside, but property was only stolen from three.

The thieves took an £800 Honda rotivator and a £180 Stihl petrol strimmer from Mr Carr’s shed, smashing the latch to get in.

They took a strimmer worth £100 and a DeWalt drill worth £200 from another shed and a strimmer worth £250 and a black petrol rotivator from another.

A pair of bolt croppers were later found in the allotments, which may have been used to carry out the break-in.

Daily Echo:

A gate leading into the allotment, which has 150 plots, is left open during the day when allotment holders are on site, but locked at night.

Mr Carr, 74, of West End, made the discovery when he turned up the morning after and found items that the thieves had discarded outside his shed.

“The thieves had done the same elsewhere and a maintenance worker counted 24 sheds affected,” said Mr Carr.

He added that there was an unsuccessful attempt to break into his shed last year.

The retired engineer wants people to be alert to the possibility of future raids and be aware if they see cheap tools being offered for sale.

“I’m annoyed because what sort of lowlife does that?

“It’s also annoying to me that they can get away with breaking into 24 sheds.

“For somebody like me who is retired I can’t just spend another £1,000.

Laura Cooke, clerk to West End Parish Council, which runs the allotments, said: “We have had one or two incidents before, but the fact there were so many this time, we can’t believe that people passing didn’t notice.”

Police confirmed they are investigating the incident but only had knowledge of five break-ins.

Anyone with information or witnesses to the incident, which happened overnight between December 2 and December 3, should call Hedge End police on 101.