TWO garages and two supermarkets have been left counting the cost after the latest in a string of raids by gangs of cigarette thieves.

Police arrested two men near Avebury after break-ins at Somerfield in Wootton Bassett and Calne Service Station early on Sunday morning. But 30 minutes later Malmesbury Specialist Cars was hit.

It is the third time in a month that the car company has been the target of cigarette thieves.

In the latest incident, thieves got in through the roof of the garage, in Crudwell Road, at 4.17am, triggering the alarm. They fled with a substantial amount of cigarettes.

Sgt Kier Pritchard, of Malmesbury police, said two men were spotted running off towards Milbourne.One was about 5ft 9ins, the other was about an inch taller, and both were wearing dark clothing and were in their late-teens to early 20s.

Sunday's raid on Somerfield, at 2.57am, was its third in six weeks. But this time the thieves left empty handed after failing to break into its new cigarette kiosk.

Twenty minutes later, the Calne Service Station was broken into, and £200 worth of cigarettes stolen. Police arrested two men in connection with both thefts at 3.55am near Avebury.

On Monday at about 5am a red Vauxhall Cavalier, SRi, was used in a raid on the petrol kiosk at Sainsburys supermarket. Thieves smashed the glass in the door and stole cigarettes.

Ram raiders also failed to make any impact on the hi-fi shop in Park Lane Chippenham just before 1am A red F registration Vauxhall Cavalier estate was seen speeding away from the shop. The window was slightly damaged.

Andrew Ings, the owner of Malmesbury Specialist Cars, saidimprovements had been made to the premises to try to combat the thieves and he said further measures would be taken.

"I just don't know what the answer is," said Mr Ings. "It is getting so that it seems to be happening all over the place and they are coming back time and again.

A spokesman for Somerfield said it had taken all the security measures it could, including installing a rapid response spray to disorientate thieves.

On March 28 thieves stole £1,700 of cigarettes from the store. Two days later it was hit again when raiders forced the front door and snatched cigarettes worth £1,500.

There has been a spate of raids in Malmesbury, Wootton Bassett, Calne and Lyneham on cigarette outlets.

Sgt Pritchard warned shop owners to remove cigarettes from sight when closing at night.

Anyone with information about the latest thefts is urged to call Malmesbury police on (01666) 822222