An appeal for witnesses has been launched after a tobacco heist outside Whitchurch on Tuesday.

A Tesco delivery driver had his load of cigarettes and tobaccos stolen from the back of his lorry at around 8.15am, with the offenders using a dark blue Audi A4 estate to block his exit after they tried to break into the lorry.

The driver was parked in a layby but drove towards the Grindley Brook roundabout before the offenders took a large amount of cigarettes and tobacco from the rear of the vehicle, loading it into a white Mercedes sprinter van.

The delivery van driver was not harmed or spoken too.

Both vehicles then headed in the direction of Grindley Brook roundabout on the A41.

A similar incident happened around 2.10pm on the same day in Kidderminster, which also had similar vehicles involved.

The cigarettes were then loaded into a white Mercedes sprinter van. It is believed that a blue Audi A4 estate may have also been in the area.

Investigating Officers are appealing for information from the public for witnesses to both incidents, or any other information regarding offenders or sightings including dashcam footage of the blue Audi A4 estate and the white Mercedes sprinter van in either Whitchurch or Kidderminster areas.

Officers are also keen to hear from anyone who may have witnessed a dark blue Audi A4 estate and / or a white Mercedes sprinter van changing number plates throughout the day.

Detective Sergeant Mat Crisp said: "We are keen to speak with anyone who may have seen either of the incidents involving Tesco delivery vehicles. Both incidents occurred on Tuesday, April 2 in the Grindley Brook area of Whitchurch and the second in Cockley, Kidderminster.

"Both incidents involved offenders driving a blue Audi Estate and a white Mercedes sprinter van. We believe they may have changed their number plates throughout the course of the day.

"Any information relating to these incidents, the offenders or the vehicles will help provide us with a better understanding of what has occurred and aid our investigation.

"We are especially keen to see any dashcam footage from either areas. If you have any information please call 101."

Anyone with information should call police on 101, for the incident in Whitchurch please quote incident number 87s of 2 April 2019 and for the incident in Cockley, Kidderminster please quote incident number 342s of 2 April 2019.

Alternatively, if you want to give information but don't want to give your name you can call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or use their anonymous online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org