ANOTHER collection box fund-raising for those who served their country has been stolen – the third in Romsey in just three days.

Police launched a hunt for the thieves who struck in Romsey in the week leading up to last week’s Remembrance Sunday.

Officers are investigating whether the thefts are linked and have appealed for witnesses to help track down the thieves.

The latest incident happened at Romsey Library, in Station Road, on Thursday between 12pm and 1pm, where a Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal box used to collect funds for servicemen and ex-servicemen was stolen from the counter.

The counter was unattended at the time and string used to attach the box to the counter was cut – no one was seen.

It is not known how much money was in the box.

It follows the theft of a collection box from the outpatients’ reception desk at Romsey Hospital on Tuesday, between 1.15pm and 1.25pm and another from the Alma Road Surgery, on Wednesday, November 7, between 11am and 12.50pm.

Officers patrolling in the area were warned to be on the lookout for such activity.

Police have released this CCTV image (above) of a woman who may have information about the theft of the hospital box.

She is described as white, 5ft 6in tall, with short brown hair and wore a brown bomber-style jacket with black trim around the neck, black leggings, ankle boots and a poppy.

Anyone who can identify the woman is asked to call PC Richard Goddard at Romsey police on 101 or the Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.