SOME criminals will go to extreme lengths to commit crime.

They go to enormous trouble to steal what, to most of us, might seem like trivial items.

My colleagues in Dewsbury are currently investigating two burglaries at Co-op stores in the area after large amounts of cigarettes were stolen.

The cigarettes were valued at thousands of pounds and we believe the raids were carried out by the same gang of thieves, who were obviously determined to get away with their haul.

They stole boxes of cigarettes which they will no doubt try to sell on at a fraction of the real value.

But in doing so, they also caused extensive damage to both stores.

The first raid was at 10.45pm on January 9, when three men broke into the Co-op store in Thornhill.

They prised open security shutters with a crowbar and smashed a window.