News: Village shop attacked by thieves

Early this morning Chilbolton Village Shop was attacked by three thieves. Armed with a crowbar and a power tool, they broke into the Post Office strong room.

At 12:30am Nicky and Andy Bond, who were asleep upstairs, heard loud banging. Nicky looked out of the front window and could see a car with its headlights on. Three men were attacking the shop door with a crowbar.

Andy looked from the side window, and called out to a man on their drive, telling him that the police were being called. The man replied with abuse.

Police advised Nicky and Andy to lock themselves upstairs until help arrived.

The attackers made their way into the shop, which set off the alarm. Undeterred, they went to the Post Office strong room, where they used a petrol-driven angle grinder to force their way through the door.

Nicky said that she could smell the petrol and she feared that the shop, and their home would go up in flames.

Unable to break in to the safe, the attackers left moments before the police arrived in a number of vehicles.

When we spoke with her, Nicky was visibly shaken. “It’s the most terrifying experience of my life. It was horrific. We could hear it all, because we were just in the bedroom above.”

She said “I’m going to need to speak to Victim Support.”

The front door of the shop suffered splintered woodwork and cracked glass. It, and the strong room door, will need to be replaced and this might take some time.

Nicky said “We’re awaiting Forensics and, until they have completed their job, I’m not allowed to go into the Shop to see what is missing and what the damage is.”

Some CCTV has already been recovered which shows the car and the three men. Earlier in the evening at about 7:30pm, a car and some people were seen outside the Shop. It’s unknown so far whether this was related to the incident.

Did you see or hear anything yesterday, which you feel may be relevant? Have you any CCTV footage, perhaps from a doorbell camera, which might be helpful? If you have information, contact Hampshire Police: the crime reference number is 44250516497.

In the meantime, the Shop remains closed, and Nicky asks her customers “to show understanding, and be patient with us.”