A MASKED gang stole cigarettes after breaking into a Hampshire town centre newsagent.

Four men, two in a blue car and two on motorcycles, smashed through the front door of Martin McColl’s in Market Place, Romsey, at about 12.30am yesterday.

They took a quantity of cigarettes before driving off.

No members of staff were inside at the time of the raid and the value of the stolen cigarettes is not yet known.

Police are appealing for anyone who saw the blue car, possibly a Vauxhall Corsa, and the two motorbikes to contact them.

A McColl’s spokesperson said: “The health, safety and wellbeing of our employees is of utmost importance.

“We are working closely with the relevant authorities in response to this incident.”

The store was due to re-open yesterday afternoon.

Town centre manager Mark Edgerley urged anyone with any information about the break-in to contact Hampshire police.

He said: “There’s a very low level of that type of criminal activity in the town. It think that’s because the organised gangs know that the quality of CCTV imaging in the town has improved over the years.”

  • Anyone with any information about this incident should call Hampshire police on 101, quoting 44160309817.