THREE high street stores have been broken into with thousands of pounds stolen in a series of raids.

Bradbeers department store, Boots and McColl’s newsagents, all next door to each other in The Hundred and Market Place, Romsey were targeted by criminals over the course of the past week as shops get ready for Christmas.

It is not believed that these raids are linked.

Today shoppers have been going to the Boots store to find one of the entrances taped up after the raiders “prized open” the doors and took “thousands and thousands” pound’s worth of fragrances and a cash till.

It is understood that the incident took place sometime this morning at about 5am.

Store manager Rachael Davis was unable to say about much has been taken.

She added that any orders in time for Christmas would be honoured.

She said: “It’s just a bit weird that all three of us were done in the past week.”

Last week Bradbeers was also targeted by thieves when they smashed through a pair of glass doors at the store’s entrance in Bell Street.

In less than 90 seconds the raiders managed to take thousands of pound’s worth of fragrances sometime between 1.50am and 2.05am on Wednesday morning December 16.

Owner Greg Davies, whose family have owned the store since 1837 described the raid as “shocking”.

The last time the store was raided was eight years ago.

He said: “This doesn’t normally happen in Romsey. For it to happen three times in a week I think is strange.”

Three men, one aged 35 and from Romsey and two aged 32 and 33 from Southampton have been arrested in connection with this incident and have been bailed to appear at Southampton police station on February 18.

Hundreds of pounds worth of cigarettes and tobacco was also taken from McColl’s on Saturday December 19 between 3.20am and 4.40am.

The thieves “popped open” the front door and stole the tobacco.

Anyone with any information about any of these should contact Hampshire police by calling 101.

Anyone with any information about the incident at Bradbeers should quote reference number 44150439733.
Anyone with any information about the incident at McColl’s should quote reference number 44150444599.
Anyone with any information about the incident at Boots should quote reference number 44150446857.

The incident at McColl’s took place sometime between 8pm on Friday December 18 and 4.55am on Saturday December 19 when it was reported to police.
More than £2,000-worth of cigarettes were taken.