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Shopping centre The Mall in Blackburn 'set on fire by burglars' | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Burglars who broke into a shopping centre to steal from a jewellers also set an entrance alight, causing "significant damage", police have said. | |
Lancashire Police said up to eight men wearing balaclavas smashed into Chris Shan Jewellers overnight in Blackburn's The Mall using hammers and crowbars. | |
They then set the Church Street entrance on fire at about 02:30 GMT. | |
A force spokesman said the men fled through an exit near County Hall with "an unknown quantity of jewellery". | |
Police are also exploring whether a second fire reported soon after the burglary, involving two burning cars at the Citroen garage on Throstle Street, could be linked. | |
Det Insp Tim McDermott said CCTV footage of the "well-planned" theft indicated "other offenders" may also have been involved. | |
Three areas of the shopping centre have been closed to allow Lancashire Police and the fire service to carry out investigations. |