A HAMPSHIRE Post Office is to remain closed for sometime after it was targeted in a raid.

The Post Office in Romsey has been shut for five days after a gang broke into it.

Now post office bosses say they do not know when the office in Church Street will reopen.

Police are hunting the gang who tried to cut their way into a safe with an angle grinder believed to have been stolen from nearby roadworks.

Detectives have been sifting through CCTV footage of the building in Church Street in a bid to track down the gang who fled empty-handed after the break during the early hours of Monday. It is believed they smashed in a door to get in.

Police officers say the burglars may have fled in a dark coloured car which was seen in the Church Street area at the time.

It is understood that an attempt was also made to get into Romsey Royal Mail office at the back of the Post Office in Church Street.

- where major roadworks are currently being carried out and the road has restricted access.

Post Office officials are refusing to release full details of what happened inside the building when the gang struck.

A spokesperson appealed for witnesses to contact said: “We can confirm that the attempted robbery took place in the early hours of Monday morning, but we will not discuss the specifics. We urge anyone with information to come forward and contact the police or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 as soon as possible.

Customers have been redirected to other Post Office branches in Romsey while the Church Street office is closed.

A police spokesperson said: “An attempt was made to get in through a window at the rear of the building but this failed. But they managed to get inside the Post Office and carried out an untidy search of the premises.”

He confirmed that the police were first alerted when a burglar alarm went off at just after midnight.

Officers attended but nothing suspicious was seen or heard.

He added that the alarm sounded again at about 3.30am on Monday morning (September 14) and when officers arrived they discovered the break-in.

Hedge End-based PC Christopher Clayton is handling calls from the public who have information about the burglary.