Police Sergeant Bob Wilson is urging Ledbury residents to security mark their property and secure outbuildings with strong locks.

He spoke out following a spate of recent break-ins to sheds and outbuildings by crooks "who appear to be targeting the Ledbury area".

Tools worth £3,630 were taken from a shed in Oatleys Road, between 11pm on June 15 and 9.25am the following day.

Items taken included snap-on pliers worth £365, £125 Falcon screwdriver, £525 Mac Socket set, a Bristol socket set worth £940, a Bristol spanner set worth £675 and tool chests.

On the same night, thieves entered another shed in Oatleys Road and made off with an Ian Heaps carbon fibre fishing pole, worth £200, a keep net and a £150 Stihl hedge trimmer.

Intruders entered three outbuildings on Broadmoor Common, near Woolhope, and took a disc cutter worth £100, £100 electric drill, and a £60 jigsaw. Damage to locks was put at £70.

The incident took place between 10.30pm on Friday, June 16, and 8am the following day.

On the same night, another outhouse on the Common was raided. Thieves made off with a metal petrol can which contained 10 litres of fuel worth £20.

Burglars drove on to the Post Office and garage forecourt at the Lower Eggleton crossroads and used a sledgehammer on a "shatterproof" window to gain entry to the shop premises.

Another window was smashed in the door of the Post Office section.

The raiders then made off with unknown quantity of tobacco and cigarettes. The break-in took place at 11.30pm on Sunday (June 18).