Car and electric scooters go in £18,000 garage raid

RAIDERS have hit a Bexhill car sales garage twice in four nights.

An upmarket car and 19 electric scooters worth 18,000 were stolen.

Police believe the two raids are the work of the same gang.

The raiders were disturbed during the first attack, at about 4am last Friday.

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They fled, abandoning a stolen Montego outside Bexhill Carriage Company's used car showroom in Middlesex Road with the engine running.

Police who had been alerted by a neighbour who had heard the noise of the break-in found that a car belonging to the garage had been broken into.

But when police returned at 8am on Monday after another call from a neighbour they found that a Jeep Cherokee had been stolen together with 19 of the electric scooters for which the firm is local agent.

The scooters are imported from Spain and sell for 350 each.

The Jeep Cherokee, registration number Y334 GWV, is worth about 11,000.

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The raiders left behind a pair of bolt-croppers in their haste.

PC Dave Sands is appealing for anyone with information about the raids to contact him at Bexhill police station on 0845 6070999.

He said: "Overnight on Sunday, March 9, Bexhill Carriage Company in Middlesex Road was broken into.

"The burglars broke a window and went inside, forcing the lock to the roller shutter door.

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"The thieves made off with 19 boxed electric scooters, four alloy wheels and a grey Jeep Cherokee car.

"It is thought the thieves were on the premises for a considerable amount of time."

PC Roy Warren is seeking help with the earlier incident. He said: "During the early hours - 3am-4am - on March 7, persons unknown attacked a car on the forecourt of Bexhill Carriage Company, stealing the radio and speakers.

Police seek witnesses to the incident."

A spokesman at Bexhill Carriage Company yesterday declined to comment on the raids.

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But in view of the highly specialist nature of the miniature vehicles it seems likely that anyone attempting to sell the stolen vehicles will face a considerable problem.

They are highly individual and would be readily identifiable on the black market.

Police say the incidents are not linked to the raid at Ex-Catalogue Superstore at Sidley in January when electrical goods, including about 40 Dyson vacuum cleaners, were stolen.

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