SHOP staff realised thousands of pounds worth of stock had been taken the morning after a coordinated burglary.

Lancashire Police were called to Bargain Booze on Preston Road, Chorley, at around 11am on Sunday (December 5) following reports of a burglary, which happened at 6pm the previous day.

CCTV footage shows one man has gone into the cellar of the premises and helped himself to around £4,000 in cigarettes.

A second man has, in the meantime, distracted a member of staff behind the till to allow the first man to escape with a bag containing the stolen items.

No arrests have been made at this stage and enquiries are ongoing.

PC Pete Burns, of Lancashire Police, said: "This was clearly a planned burglary, with one man stealing the cigarettes while the second distracted the store worker.

"I would ask anybody with information or anybody who recognises the men in the CCTV to contact police as soon as possible."

Anyone with information is asked to email 3220@lancashire.police.uk or call 101, quoting log 0483 of December 5, 2021.