UPDATE: 1.15PM

GWENT Police have launched an appeal for information after officers were called to the burglary at the Spar store along Larch Grove, Malpas at 3.05am this morning.

A police spokeswoman said: "Cigarettes were stolen along with damaged caused to the premises doors.

"The offenders are male with one wearing a white hooded top and the other wearing a dark coloured jacket. Both were seen leaving the scene and heading towards Pillmawr Road."

If you have information regarding this incident call 101 quoting log 35 07/10/16.

UPDATE: 11.55am

A NEWPORT shop was raided during the early hours of this morning.

The Spar convenience store in Larch Grove, Malpas was broken into at around 3am this morning with stocks of cigarettes stolen.

Within a few minutes, the thieves had broken through the steel shutters and left the premises, according to manager Mark Namo.

The 52-year-old said: "Me and the other key holders got a call just after 3am and someone also saw the incident and called the police. Once we had arrived they had gone, it was all finished in merely three minutes.

"It seemed pre-planned and quite professionally done, they seem to have studied the area and had the right cutting equipment to get through the shutters very quickly. We are assessing what was taken at the moment but it seems to just be cigarettes they were targeting."

Gwent Police have taken traces of the shop for finger prints, he added.

"This is the first time in my 18 years as manager that we have ever been broken into. We have had some minor attempts before but we have never had anything like this," said Mr Namo.