Thieves target Arturi's Garden Centre in Eastleigh for second time in just over a week to steal safe from aquarium concession.
Police are appealing for witnesses after a second burglary took place at the site in Allington Lane, Fair Oak, in the early hours of Sunday morning - just eight days after a break-in where a haul of food was stolen from a storage shed.

The original incident, which is understood to have taken place between 5pm February 18 and 8.45am on Saturday, February 19, saw burglars loot a storage shed where food for the garden centre's café was stored.

Items taken include a crate of 48 pies, 18 pieces of cod and a box of sausages, as well as a transformer, which is used to power lighting. The total value of goods stolen is estimated to be around £125. The suspects cut two wire fences to gain access to the premises and cut across aquarium concession Aquajardin's back yard to enter the outbuilding.

However, Aquajardin itself was targeted in the latest break-in, with thieves gaining access to the site at around 1am yesterday morning and escaping with the retailer's safe, which contained an undisclosed sum of money.

PC Paul Osborne of Eastleigh Police Station said of the first burglary: "Due to the size and weight of the items stolen, we believe it is likely that the offenders would have used a vehicle in order to transport the goods. The closest place a vehicle could have been parked is on Allington Lane.

"We would therefore urge anyone who may have seen any suspicious vehicles parked on Allington Lane, or any suspicious behaviour in the area, during the relevant times to contact police. We would also like to hear from anyone who may have been offered these food items for sale."

According to Hampshire police, the two burglaries are part of "a number of similar incidents that have occurred in the wider area of Allington Road in recent weeks." While the modus operandi for each incident has been quite different, police are not ruling out the possibility that they may have been carried out by the same assailants.

It is believed a vehicle would also have been used for the second theft at the Arturi's Garden Centre site and police are appealing to any passers-by or motorists who saw anyone acting suspiciously or a vehicle pulling out in the cover of darkness, to come forward.

A police spokesperson said: "The particular location of the businesses is also notable. Allington Lane is a busy road but the premises that have been targeted are quite isolated and therefore potentially more vulnerable. Even though the road is used 24-hours of the day, the premises are laid back from the road and provide offenders with more cover."


He added: "We are advising other businesses in the area to be extra vigilant and to review their overnight security, as that is when these incidents are taking place. We are also offering crime prevention advice for those businesses who require it."

Anyone with information is urged to call 101 locally or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.