HAMPSHIRE residents are being warned to be extra vigilant after a spate of burglaries in which thieves made off with property worth more than £21,000.

A total of 25 outbuildings across the New Forest have been targeted since the start of last month - and police believe the same gang is responsible for many of the crimes.

In one of the incidents a CCTV recording system installed in a bid to combat crime was itself stolen.

Most of the other thefts involved bikes, power tools and garden machinery.

Acting Chief Inspector Richard Parsons said: “These burglaries are taking place at various times, both in the day and at night.

"We want to remind residents to be vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour to us immediately.

"If they see suspicious people or vehicles in their area they should note down the registration numbers and the descriptions of the people. Where possible photograph the vehicle or individuals present.

“We believe a number of these crimes have been committed by the same offenders and are proactively following up leads.”

The CCTV equipment was stolen from stables in Milford Road, Lymington.

In one of the other raids thieves forced their way into a shipping container on land at London Lane, Avon, and stole goods worth £8,000, including power tools and garden machinery.

Garden machinery valued at £4,000 was stolen from two sheds at Christchurch Road, New Milton, and similar items worth £2,530 disappeared from an outbuilding at nearby Hinton.

Three bikes valued at £1,100 were wheeled away from the garage of a house in Pennington.

Published: 02 November 2016 Police are appealing for witnesses after a chainsaw and hedge-cutters were stolen during a burglary in the New Forest.

As reported in the Daily Echo, police are also investigating the theft of a chainsaw and two hedge-cutters from a garden shed beside a house in Middle Road, Sway.

They were disturbed by neighbours but escaped with their £2,000 hail, with two men fleeing on foot and the third speeding off in a car thought to have been a green Vauxhall Astra.

PC Graham Wilkins said: “I would like to advise members of the public to ensure that sheds are locked up securely at all times.”

It is not known if the Sway break-in was committed by the same people responsible for thefts from other outbuildings in the Forest.