Cigarettes worth £5,000 were stolen from the Temple Hill store

Police are linking the theft of £5,000 worth of cigarettes with 10 other similar incidents since the new year.

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Two men targeted the Co-op supermarket in Temple Hill Square, Dartford, at about 1.30am on Friday, (17) taking the shop’s entire stock of cigarettes.

Officers found a screwdriver and pickaxe believed to have been used in the break-in at the scene.

A green Volvo C40, thought to have been involved in the burglary was found on fire in Joyce Green Lane, Dartford, at about 2.30am the same morning. The car’s licence plates had been stolen from Sheridan Court, Dartford, three days before the raid.

DC Nick Whiteoak said: “This was a very significant break-in with a large amount of cigarettes stolen.

“We are very keen to speak to anyone who may have witnessed anything suspicious in Temple Hill Square on the night in question or in Sheridan Court on 14th February.

“Should anyone have information, I would urge them to contact Kent Police on 01634 792166 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.”

Both men are well built, between 5ft 8in and 6ft and were both seen to be carrying a yellow builders’ merchants bag with the cigarettes in it.

The first suspect wore white trainers, navy Adidas jogging bottoms, a black jacket and had a black mask over his face, black gloves and a grey hood.

His accomplice who was larger, wore grey or white gloves, a black hooded top with three stripes down each arm, dark trousers or tracksuit bottoms with black mask over his face.