An appeal has been launched after a child’s bicycle was stolen from outside a Tesco.

The blue Check Marlin 4 bike was taken from outside the Tesco Express in Pennington, Lymington in the New Forest at around 6pm on Saturday, August 3.

Detectives have released an image of two people they want to speak to in connection with the incident.

Anyone with further information is urged to come forward and contact Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary.

A spokesperson from New Forest Heart Police said: "We are looking to speak to anyone who may recognise the people in these CCTV images, after we received reports that a bike was stolen from outside the Tesco Express in Pennington, Lymington.

"It was reported to us that just after 6pm on Saturday August 3, a child’s blue Check Marlin 4 bike was taken from outside the Tesco store.

"We are keen to speak with the people in these CCTV images, as they were in the area at the time and may be able to provide us with more information.

"If you recognise them, saw what happened, or have any information that could help with our investigation, please call us on 101 quoting 44240331157, or go online to report. Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111, or visit their website, below."

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Last month, it was nearly 350 cars were stolen every day last year as thefts reached an all-time high in the UK, with official figures showing that 129,159 vehicles were stolen between April 2023 and March 2024.

In response to figures from the Office of National Statistics, experts have warned that vehicle theft remains “stubbornly high” with urgent action needed.

The ONS recorded 193,023 crimes for vehicles being broken into last year while during the same period in 2022, 218,431 people reported a car break-in.

Commenting on the findings, RAC spokesperson Rod Dennis said: “After falling steadily during the 2010s, the last few years have seen an alarming rise in the number of recorded crimes where vehicles are stolen with an average of 356 being taken every day of the year."

Last month, a Tesco shoplifter instantly received a dose of karma after he carried out a theft in broad daylight as brave staff, customers and security tried to thwart the two crooks, clad in back, by trapping them in the store.

Shoplifting and attacks on shop workers have surged across Britain. The latest figures - released in February - show that 1,300 incidents of violence and abuse take place a day.

Incidents of violence and abuse in shopping centres had risen by 65 per cent from 2021-22 to 2022-23, according to a report by British Retail Consortium.