The third Co-op store in just over a month has been burgled and police believe the break ins are linked.

Llandovery Co-op was the latest Carmarthenshire supermarket to fall victim to the string of burglaries.

The break-in happened at around 2am on Saturday, November 11 when the front door was forced open.

The culprits made off with cigarettes, alcohol and scratch cards.

The store remained closed on Saturday morning before reopening in the afternoon.

Police have issued an appeal for two possible suspects and are treating the incidents as linked.

The Llandovery Co-op burglary follows two similar incidents in Carmarthenshire since the beginning of October.

The Co-Op supermarket in St Clears was burgled on Saturday, November 4, and the Whitland branch was broken into on Friday, October 6.

All three incidents happened in the early hours of the morning, before staff arrived for work.

A police spokesperson said: “Dyfed-Powys Police is investigating a burglary at Llandovery Co-operative store, which occurred at around 2am on Saturday, November 11.

"A quantity of cigarettes, scratch cards and bottles of alcohol were stolen.

"Two possible suspects have been seen in the vicinity who may be linked to the burglaries.

"They are described as a male wearing dark coloured tracksuit bottoms, dark coloured top with white stripes on the arms, dark coloured trainers with white soles, light blue bobble hat and a dark coloured scarf.

"The second is described as a male wearing dark coloured hooded top, dark coloured bottoms, dark coloured footwear, and a scarf.

"There have been burglaries in other Coop stores in Carmarthenshire in the last few months which are currently being linked.

"If you have information, or are offered cheap cigarettes or alcohol, report it by calling Llandovery police on 101. If you are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired text the non-emergency number: 07811 311 908.”

Anyone who may have information or who is offered cheap cigarettes or alcohol is asked to contact police by calling 101.

A spokesman for Co-Op said: “We are appealing for anyone with information to come forward to the police.

“Retail crime affects all retailers and the Co-op takes the issue extremely seriously, working closely with police and other crime prevention bodies and operating a range of measures to both disrupt and deter criminal activity, and increase the likelihood of convictions.”