Thieves steal thousands of pounds worth of equipment after a planned raid on allotments in Kibworth Harcourt

Thieves stole power tools and gardening equipment worth thousands of pounds after raiding an allotments in Kibworth Harcourt.

The gang escaped with their huge haul after systematically breaking into over 50 sheds at the popular site in West Langton Road.

The offenders are now being hunted by Harborough police as shell-shocked allotment owners count up the damage.

The gang is believed to have raided the much-loved, carefully-tended gardens near the junction with the A6 Harborough Road between 5pm on Tuesday and 6.30am on Wednesday.

They used bolt croppers to rip padlocks off the shed doors and wheelbarrows to move the loot to the roadside.

The suspects, who knew exactly what they were targeting, are then thought to have loaded their ill-gotten gains into at least one big van before speeding off.

They left a shocking trail of destruction behind them leaving devastated allotment owners stunned at the damage and mayhem.

“Officers have visited the allotments this morning, Wednesday, and are liaising with partner agencies as part of the investigation,” said Harborough police.

Sgt Ryan Coleman said: “There are around 50 sheds on the site and we are in the process of identifying and contacting their owners.

“We’d like to speak to anyone who was travelling – either in a car or on foot – along West Langton Road either yesterday evening, Tuesday, or early Wednesday morning and saw or heard anything suspicious.”

He appealed to any local people offered the stolen equipment to contact police urgently.

“I’d also ask anyone who lives in the area and has seen or been offered items such as garden tools for sale (to speak to us).

“We’d like to speak to anyone who owns an allotment at the site but has not yet contacted police,” said Sgt Coleman.

“Any information that you have could help with our investigation.”

If you can help police catch the culprits then call 101 or send them a direct message via Facebook quoting reference 20*255244.

You can visit their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/pg/marketharboroughpolice/posts/?ref=page_internal