Garden centre raided twice in a week

Last Tuesday, September 27, more than 14,000 worth of Christmas lights and decorations were stolen just days before the range was due to launch.

Thieves broke a padlock on a gate at Roundstone Nursery at the rear of the site and accessed the storage area where the goods were waiting to be put out on display.

Then on Monday night, 1,500 worth of stainless steel and granite water features were stolen in a similar raid after thieves gained access to the site via a side road and trampled a barbed wire fence.

Both the burglaries are thought to have been committed by the same thieves and would have needed two or three people to lift the heavy items, especially the water features, some of which weighed around 40 kilograms.

A team of forensic experts from the police hope to catch the thieves using fingerprints, footprints and items recovered from the scene.

The burglaries both took place at night between 7.30pm and 7.30am.

Haskins' manager Terry Head said that security was difficult at the 14-and-a-half-acre site, which has been a regular victim of burglaries, but new patrols by a security firm and extra alarms and CCTV hope to deter any future attacks.

"I think it's the same people coming back for more," he said: "They also tried to steal fence panels and decking but must have been disturbed because they were left by the road."

Despite the loss of stock, Haskins' range of Christmas decorations goes on display tomorrow.

Mr Head said that there was still a good selection of lights and decorations for customers to view, with replacement goods already ordered and on the way.

Anyone with information on the burglaries is asked to contact Alan Russell at Littlehampton police station on 0845 6070999.