Police in Great Yarmouth are investigating a spate of offences in which vehicles have been stolen, abandoned and burned out.

Five vehicles in the space of five weeks were stolen in and around the town, with each suffering the same end result.

While each vehicle has been different, and taken from different locations, they were all discovered abandoned and either burned out or on fire.

Between May 20 and June 13, three vans, a car and a moped were all taken from various places across the borough, though police are yet to confirm whether the incidents are directly linked.

On May 20, a car was stolen from Lady Margarets Avenue in Gorleston, reported at 10pm. It was later discovered ablaze.

Nine days later, a moped was stolen from a car park on Leman Road in Gorleston, which was then found burned out on Crow Hall Green. This was reported at 3.45pm on May 29.

Two weeks later, three vans were stolen in the space of four days, and which were all burned out and abandoned near the beach.

The first was taken from Braddock Road, Caister on Saturday, June 10; a white Peugeot which was left burned out on the sands near Jellicoe Road, Yarmouth.

Then, on June 12, a Ford Transit van was stolen from Perebrown Avenue, Yarmouth, which was also torched, along with a motorcycle which was inside it.

A fifth incident took place around 2.30am on May 13, with a Peugeot van stolen from Sandringham Avenue, later to be found at Salisbury Road.

It has been reported to this paper that one of the van owners was a man in his 70s, who had recently suffered a bereavement in the family.

A source close to the victim said: 'He is truly devastated. After what he has been through this is one of the last things he wants to deal with.'

A dog walker, who discovered three of the vehicles said: 'They appear to have been set on fire on the spots they were found as I could not find any debris scattered around the area.'

They described the incidents as 'selfless and horrible crimes.'

Anybody with information is asked to contact PC Mark Colley of Norfolk Police on 101, quoting reference 36/43715/17, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.