Police arrest four men after seizing suspected stolen tools and prohibited knives in raids on two New Forest properties

FOUR men were arrested after police dawn raids on two New Forest properties uncovered a haul of suspected stolen tools and prohibited knives.

Officers simultaneously swooped on the addresses – on Burnt House Lane in Bransgore and on Nutshalling Close in Calmore – around 6am on Wednesday.

At the Burnt House Lane property, they arrested a 48-year-old local man on suspicion of conspiring to steal a vehicle / conspiring to steal from a vehicle / conspiring to commit a burglary with intent to steal / conspiring to receive stolen goods / and participating in the criminal activities of an organised crime group.

A 21-year-old man, also from Bransgore, was arrested at the Nutshalling Close address on suspicion of the same offences.

At the same address, a 22-year-old man and 21-year-old man, both from Bransgore, were arrested on suspicion of conspiring to steal a vehicle / conspiring to commit burglary dwelling with intent to steal / and conspiring to receive stolen goods.

All four men were later released on conditional bail pending further enquiries.

The raids were carried out by officers from New Forest Priority Crime Team, Ringwood, Fordingbridge and Waterside neighbourhood policing teams, the dog support unit, and district policing teams.

As well as the weapons and suspected stolen goods, they seized mobile phones.

Anyone with information regarding criminal activity in their area should contact officers online via hampshire.police.uk or call 101.

Crimestoppers can also be contacted anonymously via crimestoppers-uk.org or on 0800 555 111.