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Shopping centre The Mall in Blackburn 'set on fire' Shopping centre The Mall in Blackburn 'set on fire by burglars'
(about 4 hours later)
A shopping centre was set alight in a suspected arson on the same night burglars broke into a jewellery store at the site. Burglars who broke into a shopping centre to steal from a jewellers also set an entrance alight, causing "significant damage", police have said.
Thieves broke into Chris Shan Jewellers overnight and The Mall's entrance on Church Street, Blackburn, was set on fire at about 02:30 GMT. Lancashire Police said up to eight men wearing balaclavas smashed into Chris Shan Jewellers overnight in Blackburn's The Mall using hammers and crowbars.
Three areas of the shopping centre have been closed. They then set the Church Street entrance on fire at about 02:30 GMT.
Lancashire Police and the fire service are carrying out investigations. 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.