POLICE are hunting a gang of five masked thieves who stole £10,000 worth of cigarettes from a Hampshire store.

The thieves forced open the front door of the Co-op store, in Bassett Green Road, and fled with the haul of cigarettes.

Four men were seen fleeing in a Mitsubishi vehicle and a fifth was seen running off down a side street.

Police, who released details of the raid today, said all of the raiders took steps to mask their faces during the raid, which happened at around 2.30am on Monday.

The first of the raiders is described as wearing a dark blue hooded top with a white stripe down the side, dark trainers and gloves.

The second was of a larger build and wearing a dark blue hooded top with a blue Adidas baseball cap underneath, cream coloured tracksuit bottoms with three stripes and an Adidas flower at the bottom of the left leg.

The third was of a medium build and was wearing a black hooded top, possibly leather or waterproof, blue tracksuit bottoms, black Nike trainers with a white Nike tick.

The fourth was wearing a blue and grey hooded top, blue tracksuit bottoms with white stripes down the side and gloves with red on them and dark trainers.

While the fifth was of a medium build and wearing a cream top and a grey balaclava, dark bottoms and lighter trainers DC Alison Humby, from Southampton CID, said: “We're following up a number of lines of enquiry and hope someone in the community may be able to help.

“Did you witness anything which could help our investigation? Do you recall seeing a Mitsubishi car containing four masked individuals in the Bassett area on Sunday evening or the early hours of Monday?

“Also, I'd like to hear from anyone who may know who these people are or who may have been offered cheap cigarettes for sale in the area recently.”

Anyone with information should contact DC Humby, at Southampton central police station, on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.