A HAUL of cigarettes worth about £5,000 has been stolen from a Day and Night shop in Melksham. Thieves broke into the Jones Day and Night shop on Granville Road in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

The break-in, which took place at about 3.15am, was captured on CCTV camera and police are appealing for witnesses to help track down the thieves.

Two thieves, thought to be male, broke in by smashing two bricks through the glass door. One leapt over the counter and the other went round it. They then ripped off the shutter covering the cigarette display and emptied the shelves.

PC Dean Wright of Melksham police said: "They had bags with them so they were prepared."

The shop opened nearly three hours late because broken glass scattered all over the floor had to be cleaned away.

Security manager Melissa Mountjoy said: "It makes me very angry and frustrated that this sort of thing goes on so frequently.

You try to protect it with alarms and cameras but nothing is theft proof really." The shop was targeted in July when thieves also got away with large quantities of cigarettes.

Anyone with information should contact PC Wright on (01225) 703444.