A shop owner has installed CCTV and other security measures after thieves broke in and stole hundreds of pounds of First World War medals.

Bob Peters has also put up a grill at City Books in Rochester High Street following the raid in which £600 of war decorations were taken.

He said: “We had only received the medals a couple of weeks before the break in and had gone to the expense of getting them hung with ribbons and had put them in a nice display cabinet.

“There were 15 medals, nine of them were silver and six were bronze and were either given to for service during the First World War or for being killed in action.”

Mr Peters added: “On average we lose between £600 and £700 a year though shoplifting, so this is a really big hit for us.” The raiders also stole about £30 of petty cash.

Police said the raid happened between 9.30pm and 11.30pm on Wednesday, May 18, and have asked anyone with information to call 101 quoting reference XY/18865/16.