Police in the Strabane area are advising local shopkeepers to review their security as a protection against burglars.
Shopkeepers are being encouraged not to leave significant sums of money in tills overnight and to take steps to secure valuable items of stock.
Rumena McCabe, the area’s Crime Prevention Officer, urged shop and supermarket proprietors not to leave money in tills .
“Make arrangements to bank money regularly, but avoid setting a pattern. Consider using a cash-in-transit service to collect it.
Meanwhile, police are also advising shopkeepers to remove stocks of cigarettes from display cabinets at night and put them into a secure storeroom.
Police believe criminal gangs are targeting shops for raids, most of which take place in the early hours of the morning.
While none has taken place in the Strabane area, police believe the gangs are highly mobile and can target different areas of the Province.
Ms McCabe said: “Their methods are similar in each case. They force their way into shops and then steal cigarettes from display cabinets.
“Each incident can result in a significant financial loss for the shopkeepers, not just in their stock, but in damage to property.”