A BREAK-IN at an Okehampton shop, a theft from Waitrose and thefts of a bicycle and heating oil feature in this week’s Okehampton police desk.

SHOP owners in Okehampton are being urged to review their security following two break-ins in the town.

Thieves broke into the premises of GoMobile at around 1.45am on Monday, February 13, but were disturbed by passers-by. The suspects — two young men — ran off down the road. In an interesting turn of events, a young man appeared at the shop the next day asking questions about a mobile phone. The member of staff on duty recognised the phone as the phone stolen the previous night and seized it back from the man, who offered a story about buying it for £10 from a ‘dodgy bloke’.

A police spokesperson said: ‘Just a reminder that if you buy something worth hundreds of pounds for £10, that will generally be good grounds for charging you with handling stolen goods, as the item is clearly — to use the man’s own words — ‘dodgy’.’

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact police on 101, quoting crime reference numbers CR/10615/17 and CR/10692/17.

• Police would like to speak to a man who may be able to help solve an incident in Waitrose, Okehampton, where property was stolen from the store. The man is described as white, in his 30s, of medium build and around 5’9” tall. He has dark hair that is greying and was wearing a large, black coat with a grey hoop pattern on it, dark jeans and boots. CR/9651/17.

• A driver had a stone thrown at his car recently, resulting in the rear window being smashed. The driver saw a youth throw the stone and then run off into Moorcroft Close, so local people are being asked to help identify the suspect. The driver stated the youth was very short, looked to be in his mid-teens, was white and was wearing a dark blue tracksuit. If you live in the Moorcroft Close area and have an idea who this is, contact police on 101 or make an anonymous call to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 before a more serious incident happens. CR/9699/17.

• A ladies’ bicycle was stolen from an address in Oke Tor Close, Okehampton recently. The owner put the bike under cover at around 7pm on Sunday, February 5 and discovered it had been taken at noon the next day. The bicycle is described as a white and black Marin Lark Spur.

Police have all the identifying numbers and will be able to determine immediately if it is stolen, so if you know of someone who is riding around on this bike, call police and officers will go and search for it. CR/10262/17.

• On Monday, February 13, February a large quantity of heating oil was stolen from a property in the Liftondown area during the day time.

Anyone with any information, please contact the police on 101 and quote CR/010790/17.