HAMPSHIRE police have said that a series of burglaries at community buildings, which took place over Christmas and the new year, are not being treated as connected.

Burglars hit schools, village halls, churches and cadet buildings, causing thousands of pounds of damage.

The spate of break-ins followed a similar series of crimes before Christmas, and all shared similar hallmarks, with thieves breaking in through doors or windows and taking small sums of money.

Among the buildings targeted were the Forest Community Centre, which saw two break-ins between Christmas and new year, Headley Village Hall, Weyford Infant and Junior schools, Whitehill Village Hall, Headley Sports Pavilion, Bordon Garrison Pre-school and Creche, the Forest Cafe, St Mark’s Church, Bordon Library, Bordon Stores and other community buildings.

Further break-ins were also reported earlier at Deadwater Valley Trust-owned sheds at the Phoenix Theatre, the Army Cadet building in Farnham Road (from where uniforms were stolen), Bordon fire station and eight further community buildings in Alton.

However, despite the similarities and relatively narrow window in which the break-ins occurred, they are not being investigated as related.

A Hampshire Constabulary spokeswoman said, in relation to the break-ins before Christmas, “there have been no arrests and there is not any CCTV”.

And speaking about “any of the burglaries since” she said that “at this stage, they are not being linked”.