Arrests after dog finds bag of coins stolen from Cheltenham parking machines

Two men have been arrested after a police dog found a hidden bag containing £200 worth of coins following parking machine thefts in Cheltenham.

Gloucestershire Police were called to Lansdown Parade at around 10.50pm to reports of thefts from parking machines.

The force says the doors had been forced open and money taken from inside.

A police officer driving in the area saw two men, who appeared to be acting suspiciously, turn around and walk in the opposite direction. He passed this information onto police colleagues and two men were located and detained nearby.

Police dog Dara and her handler PC Cole then searched the area where the men were first sighted and found a hidden bag containing £200 worth of coins.

Two men from London, who are aged 27 and 28, were subsequently arrested on suspicion of theft and taken into police custody.

A Gloucestershire Police spokesperson said: "A van which is believed to have been used by the men was also located as well as tools which are thought to have been used during the thefts.

"Officers believe that this could be linked to a series of parking machine thefts in the town and anyone who has information which may help with the ongoing investigation is asked to please get in contact."

People can get in touch with police by calling 101 or filling in an online form on Gloucestershire Police's website and quoting incident 419 of January 23. Alternatively you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.