A GANG of thieves escaped with more than £900 worth of scented candles after calmly strolling around Malmesbury Garden Centre loading them into bags and a rucksack.

One member of staff chased the raiders from the premises before climbing into his car and scouring the area in a spirited though unsuccessful bid to find them.

Now the garden centre has posted CCTV images of the three men and a woman who they say were responsible for the lunchtime theft yesterday.

The gang entered the centre in the Crudwell Road around 12.30pm where they specifically targeted the shop’s range of Yankee Candles.

They left with goods valued at £939 after a suspicious member of staff realised what they were up to.

Manager Shane Missen said: “At least three of them – two men and a woman – were seen putting the candles into two bags and a rucksack.

“One of our staff chased them, got into his car and went down the road but couldn’t see where they went.

“We’ve instructed our staff not to chase thieves but I suppose it’s a natural instinct.

“Thefts like these are infuriating. It makes you very angry.”

Soon afterwards the garden centre – previously known as Addingtons – posted CCTV images onto its Facebook site of the people they say were responsible.

Within hours hundreds of people had shared the images on their Facebook sites.

By the following afternoon the CCTV shots had been posted on almost 700 sites.

Mr Missen added: “It’s not just a case of helping police identify and prosecute the thieves. It is also a way of warning other shops and businesses that these people are out there and they may try the same thing again.”

It was the second time in a week that the Malmesbury Garden Centre had been targeted by raiders.

Last week burglars smashed their way into the premises overnight but ran off without stealing anything after setting off the alarms.

Anyone with information should call Wiltshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, where information can be left anonymously.