Five break-ins in 48 hours target tradesmen and businesses in neighbouring villages between Northampton and Wellingborough

Detectives are unravelling a mini-crime wave targeting tradesmen and businesses in three neighbouring villages between Northampton and Wellingborough.

Three vans were broken into in Wollaston on Tuesday night (December 7) or the early hours of Wednesday morning — at about the same time as thieves stole a Kawasaki utility vehicle and trailer from a yard in Earls Barton.

All that happened 24 hours after a burglary which saw tools stolen from a barn belonging to a business in the tiny village of Strixton, nearby.

Northamptonshire Police confirmed officers are looking into the three car break-ins in Wollaston to see if are linked but believe they are not connected to incidents in Earls Barton and Strixton.

Three Wollaston incidents all happened within a half-mile radius of each other in Green Street, Queens Road and Howard Road between 8.45pm on Monday and 8.05am Tuesday.

A Citroen Dispatch, Ford Transit and Vauxhall Vivaro were broken into, damaged and had property taken.

In Earls Barton, thieves stole an Ifor Williams trailer and Kawasaki Mule from a yard in Aggate Way sometime between 7.30pm and 9.06pm on Tuesday.

A spokesman said: "Our officers would like to hear from anybody who saw anything suspicious in any of these areas — particularly if they have security or doorbell cameras, or a dashcam which may have captured footage to help us.

"If you think you can help, please call 101 using one of the crime numbers 21000713033, 21000713316 and 21000713349 for the incidents in Wollaston; 21000712856 for Earls Barton break-in or 21000710850 for Strixton.

"You can also provide confidential information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, should you wish to remain anonymous."