Police sergeant says "mindless" thugs who dumped dead animals outside Hampshire shop will face justice

The corpses were left outside Broughton Community Shop in Stockbridge on Friday morning (March 15). A total of 50 dead hares were found at the scene, with a barn owl and kestrel "stuffed" on the door handles.

The shop's treasurer, Mike Hensman, previously said that staff were left shocked after blood was smeared on the windows. Country Watch Sergeant Stuart Ross described what happened as a "mindless" act, adding that the police are continuing to pursue all lines of enquiry in the investigation.

"We know the effect this incident has had on the local community," he said. "To be clear, mindless criminal acts such as this one will not be tolerated. Those responsible will face the full force of the law and consequences for their actions. Crime in our rural communities can have a huge impact on the residents who live there, and on the countryside in general.

"Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary has a dedicated team of officers called Country Watch, whose main priority is to disrupt and tackle the crimes affecting our rural communities. We have a strong network of partners spanning the entire county, and together we deal with matters across the spectrum of rural offending, from organised criminal gangs who steal farming equipment, to offences on the river network and crimes against wildlife. As well as this specialist team of rural crime officers, our Neighbourhood and District Policing teams also work within these rural communities.

“Our main message to the public is to continue to report these crimes and incidents that occur. If you see any suspicious activity, vehicles or people in your area please get in touch. Your information could assist us in building our intelligence picture to then effectively deploy our resources to disrupt and target those involved in rural crime." Police have carried out reassurance patrols in the area following the incident. Anyone with information is advised to call 101, quoting 44240111410. Information can also be submitted online via the police website.