A NEWSAGENTS was targeted for the second time in a year in an early morning raid.

Thieves broke into Martin McColl’s newsagent in Market Place, Romsey, at about 12.30am yesterday morning, smashing in through the front door in a dawn raid.

No members of staff were inside at the time of the raid and tobacco was taken in the incident.

It is not known the value of the goods that were stolen.

Officers from Hampshire police, who were called to the scene later at about 6.15am, were interviewing shop staff and making further enquiries.

Investigators are expected to examine CCTV images from cameras dotted in the town centre.

Aside from a sign outside the shop door, and a cordon as staff worked to fix the doors, shoppers were left wondering what had happened.

A McColl’s spokesperson said: “The health, safety and wellbeing of our employees is of utmost importance. We are working closely with the relevant authorities in response to this incident.”

It is the second time the store has been broken into the past six months.

In December last year McColl’s was broken into along with Boots and Bradbeers department store in a series of raids.

More than £2,000 pounds worth of cigarettes and tobacco was taken from McColl’s on Saturday December 19 between 3.20am and 4.40am when the thieves “popped open” the front door and stole the tobacco.

It was not believed that those raids were linked and neither of the other stores have been targeted on this occasion.

Anyone with any information about this incident should call Hampshire police on 101.