BURGLARS stole a safe in a raid on a newsagent in Halesworth yesterday - just two weeks after a similar raid on one of the town's businesses.Thieves struck at Forbuoys newsagents in The Thoroughfare sometime between 12.

By David Lennard

BURGLARS stole a safe in a raid on a newsagent in Halesworth yesterday - just two weeks after a similar raid on one of the town's businesses.

Thieves struck at Forbuoys newsagents in The Thoroughfare sometime between 12.30pm on Sunday and 3.15am yesterday.

They broke in to the premises and stole a green and grey safe, containing a quantity of cash as well as phone cards, cigarettes and tobacco.

It follows a raid on bookmakers Raceway Services, also in The Thoroughfare, in the early hours of July 5, when burglars stole a safe believed to have contained a large quantity of cash.

After yesterday's raid, which was believed to have happened in the early hours, the store was forced to sell its newspapers from the street outside the premises.

The safe was kept on the first floor of the shop in Halesworth town centre and police believe it would have taken at least two people to carry it.

It is also likely that a vehicle would have been needed to take the safe away.

The thieves entered the building by forcing a door at the rear of the building after disabling the alarm system.

Telephone lines connected to the building were cut and the alarm box was found close to the back of the shop.

When the newsagents' opened yesterday, the shop was closed while scenes of crimes officers carried out a detailed examination of the building.

Undeterred, staff tried to help customers as much as possible and were able to sell their newspapers from outside the store in the pedestrianised Thoroughare.

The store was later opened and operating as usual.

A spokesman for Forbuoys confirmed that a “serious incident” had taken place at their Halesworth branch.

“Fortunately nobody was hurt,” he said. “We are unable to give any further information at this time as we are helping police with their enquiries.”

It is believed the thieves struck at about 1am as people living nearby heard dogs barking after being disturbed by a noise.

The theft is the latest in a spate of similar raids in north Suffolk in recent weeks, including the targeting of Raceway Services, when entry was gained through the rear of the premises.

A safe was also stolen from a shop in Hungate, Beccles, in the early hours of Wednesday.

The grey 2ft square safe contained a quantity of change.

In all three instances the stolen safes have not been recovered and anyone seeing a safe that has been thrown away or discarded is asked to contact police.

Anyone with information about any of the thefts is asked to contact Beccles CID on 01986 835300 or Suffolk police headquarters on 01473 613500.

Police have not ruled out the possibility that the thefts could be connected.