AROUND £10,000 worth of power tools was stolen from Hatherleigh town hall this week. The hall was undergoing renovations and was surrounded by scaffolding at the time, and the thieves appear to have gained access to the building via the scaffolding and through a boarded-up window. The incident took place between 7pm on the Wednesday and 8am on the Thursday last week. Among the equipment taken were saws, nailguns, an angle-grinder, chainsaws, sanders and assorted hand tools. The break-in is the latest incident in a series of tool thefts in West Devon. PC Pete Wilson at Okehampton police station said there had been a rash of break-ins targeted at garden sheds and workshops in the South Zeal and Belstone area, and another series around Peter Tavy and Tavistock. He said: ?It?s difficult to say whether these are being stolen to order or being sold in the area. ?These days, with the internet, it?s much easier for them to be sold out of the area, but if anyone here has been offered very cheap second-hand tools, we?d like to know about it.? Anyone who thinks they might have seen anything unusual, or spotted any unfamiliar vehicle around the scene of the Hatherleigh break-in, is asked to contact Okehampton police on 01837 658400, quoting crime reference JO/07/638.
