Thieves assaulted people with crowbars and stole drives with vital CCTV evidence in a spate of burglaries.
Police are investigating four separate incidents that took place between February 16 and 19.
Officers are linking the burglaries, which took place across Hampshire, including Basingstoke.
On February 19, a man saw three men trying to break into the Sainsbury’s petrol station shop on Wallop Drive, Hatch Warren at 2am.
The man went over to intervene but the men turned on him, stole his mobile phone and assaulted him with a crow bar. The shop was not broken into.
At 3.40am, three men were reported to have raided the Asda petrol station kiosk on Maynard Road in Totton. Armed with crowbars again, they threatened staff and stole cigarettes.
Then, shortly before 6am staff were opening up the Co-op on Nursling Street, Nursling when four men who had their faces covered entered the store and threatened staff with crowbars. No-one was hurt, but the men left with around £5,000 in cash and £12,000 worth of cigarettes.
On February 16, three men were reported to have forced entry into the service shop at Stoney Cross services on the westbound A31 at 4.25am and stole cash.
Staff were threatened and one was assaulted with a crowbar. He received treatment for a head wound at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital.
The CCTV hard drives from the service shop at Stoney Cross and the Co-op in Nursling were also stolen.
If you have any information, call 101.
