POLICE in Tavistock have issued a warning to Tavistock shop owners not to leave cash or valuables in shops overnight following a number of break-ins.

Shopkeepers in Tavistock town centre are being alerted to several burglaries that happened overnight Friday/Saturday, May 29/30.

A florist in the town centre had the shop door barged open by brute force. Two tills were emptied of 'float' cash and drawers containing a variety of documents were sorted through.

Another property was entered via rear entrances in Garden Lane. In one case bolts were unscrewed and hinges removed before the burglar broke through a wooden door. Again a float of cash was stolen and a small safe was pulled from the wall. Also stolen was an Apple iPad mini inside a black case and a Tom Tom sat nav.

Sgt Dave Anning said: 'If you own or manage premises in the town centre, please take care to remove all cash from the premises at night for the foreseeable future — it would do no harm to post a notice saying that you have done so.

'It is believed the break-ins probably took place between 11pm and midnight and the offender would have been hanging around the area for some time, especially in Garden Lane.'

Police said the offender was likely to have worn some sort of covering over their head, such as a hat of some sort and may have been carrying something to carry the goods away in, such as a bag or rucksack.

If anyone saw someone carrying a heavy bag that night, or has any information relating to these incidents, contact 101 and ask to speak to the CID office at Tavistock, quoting crime reference number CR/37753/15.