Cumbria Police have issued a countywide warning to local supermarkets after a spate of thefts.

Nine hundred pounds worth of alcohol was stolen at Booths in Penrith and then an attempt was made to nab £800 from the town's Morrisons store.

The incidents yesterday were followed by £400 of alcohol being stolen from Booths in Keswick and then later, an attempted theft of alcohol from Sainsburys in Cockermouth.

Police arrested a Wolverhampton man in connection with the alleged thefts and are searching for the two remaining suspects.

Police believe the incidents are linked and that the three men are from the West Midlands area.

Officers are urging businesses to report any suspicious activity.

One of the remaining suspects is described as a white male, aged in his mid-thirties. He is 5ft 9” tall and is of average build and has short brown hair. He was last seen wearing blue jeans, dark shoes, a dark zip-up top and a dark blue jacket.

The other remaining suspect is described as a white male, aged in his mid-twenties. He is 6ft tall and is of average build with short dark blonde/light brown coloured hair. He was last seen wearing grey shorts, a grey jumper with a picture of a sunset and blue trainers with orange laces.

Sergeant Martin Hodgson said: “We believe these incidents to be linked. We are working hard as a force to find the offenders and are urging supermarkets across the county to be on high-alert. If anyone has seen people matching these descriptions we would like them to contact us immediately. This sort of behaviour is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”