Thief Steals New Forest Car Park Pay Machine

A thief's taken a whole pay machine from a car park in the New Forest - using a stolen car to remove it.

The white Daihatsu 4x4 was stolen from a lay-by in Ringwood Road, Sopley, between 9.30pm on Sunday 31st March and 5.30am on Monday 1st April. The car was taken to the rear of the Queen's Head pub at Burley, where it was used to remove an entire pay machine from the car park.

The pay machine then was taken to Lucy Hill car park, where an angle grinder was used to remove the cash box. The stolen Daihatsu was burned. The fire damaged an extensive area of forest.

PC Lawrence McKenna is appealing for information about the thefts:

"The theft caused major inconvenience and financial loss to the car owner.  Also, the removal of the pay machine in the middle of Burley means that someone must have heard or seen something."
 
Anyone with information about the thefts and arson is asked to contact PC McKenna at Lymington on 101.