Fresh@Burcot Garden Centre and Little Heath Garden Centre broken into over the weekend, with offenders escaping with a substantial amount of cash, say police.
Fresh@Burcot, owned by Gima director Neil Gow, was broken into sometime between 6.15pm on Sunday, September 25 and 8.30am on Monday, September 26. Thieves stole a large amount of cash from the safe before fleeing the centre in Alcester Road, Burcot.

The same night Little Heath Garden Centre in Lickey End was broken into, where offenders again escaped with a substantial amount of cash, as well as a number of furniture itms, including tables, chairs and lamps. The exact value of what was taken is yet unknown.

PC Nicky Gingell of West Mercia Police said: "We are currently looking into whether these two incidents are linked and are eager to hear from anyone who may have seen any suspicious activity in the area of either of these garden centres over the weekend. As the offenders took a large number of pieces of stock from the Little Heath Garden Centre, they are likely to have needed a van to transport them."

According to a report on gardenforum.co.uk, the latest incidents are part of a spate of burglaries that have been carried out from Wales across to the Midlands over the past couple of months. Described as a sophisticated gang of thieves, they often strike on a Sunday evening, disabling the alarm and phone lines before gaining access to the garden centre premises.

A number of well-known centres have been targeted, including Stephen H Smith in Bolton, which was also broken into on Sunday, Garden & Leisure Group and three Garden Centre Group branches.