The town of Fakenham usually has an average of around five reported thefts per month but this week that number was almost reached in a single night.

Police have said they are currently investigating four crimes that took place overnight between Tuesday, April 24 and Wednesday April 25.

These include thousands of pounds worth of power tools being stolen from vans on Sculthorpe Road, Peckover Road and Sandy Lane, and the theft of three motorcycles from Matt Pope Motorcycles on Hawthorn Way.

Matt Pope, owner of the motorcycle servicing company, said CCTV of the break-in shows that a vehicle pulled up at the back of the premises and two people cut through a fence to gain access.

The pair, who had their faces hidden, then took a bike each. They returned later for the third bike.

The owner of a van that had tools stolen on Sandy Lane, did not wish to be named, but said the thieves appeared to be professional and they had gained access to the van and disabled the alarm, leaving almost no trace of the crime.

“I got into the van without even knowing they had stolen the tools until I got to the yard and realised the back had been emptied.”

Community Engagement Officer, PC Pete Davison, said: “We are reminding the public to keep unattended vehicles locked and secure at all times and not to leave valuables either on show or inside the vehicle if it can be avoided. Where possible park vehicles overnight close to street lighting and use a garage if you have one.

“In the meantime, I would like to ask people to report suspicious behaviour at the time of the incident via 999 or 101 and to come and speak to us if they have concerns - either by contacting Fakenham Beat Manager PC Rich Dawson, coming along to one of our engagement surgeries or by attending our next public engagement meeting at 6.30pm on May 23 at Fakenham Police Station.”

Rebecca Gooderson who lives on Eckersley Drive, also described discovering a man standing in her back garden on April 23.

“I had just come downstairs to tidy away my daughter’s toys and turned to see that the outside garden security light had come on and a man was stood on our patio inside the garden near my back door,” she said.

“He saw me and smiled but made no attempt to run until I ran to grab my phone to call the police and my partner by which time he’d disappeared.”

She added that she was not sure what the man’s motive was but some garden sheers had been moved onto the ground further down the garden and he may have been attempting to use them to break into her shed.

Fakenham Police hold engagement surgeries every Wednesday at Fakenham Police Station between 1pm and 3pm.

Do you have a crime story in mid-Norfolk that you wish to tell us? Email reporter Steve Shaw.