Thieves have been captured on CCTV stealing gas bottles from a village hall.

The pair were caught on camera taking the propane gas bottles from Swanton Morley Village Hall at around 8.30pm on Wednesday, October 20.

Roger Atterwill, chairman of the parish council - which manages the hall - said footage indicated the theft was a pre-planned visit.

It showed the hooded culprits arriving and leaving several times, he added, before breaking into a locked steel cage.

"They knew exactly what they were doing and had obviously scouted the place out," said Mr Atterwill, who said he feared rising energy prices could make thefts of this nature more common.

"They knew where the dark spots were, where to walk. They had their bolt-cutters, cut the gas lines and went straight for the gas bottles.

"They were in and out in 10 minutes."

Parish clerk Kelly Pickard said: "It's really disappointing to see that someone would do this to a village hall which is used by members of the community."