This is Sussex --A VILLAGE store was cordoned off by police following an overnight burglary which triggered a "smoke cloak" defence system.
Firefighters were alerted to an alarm sounding at Tesco Express in Forest Row shortly before 3am on Friday (August 2), and on arrival they discovered it had been triggered by a break-in.
Forest Row Fire Station crew manager Tom Atkins said the break-in activated the smoke cloak – an electronic security device which produces a large volume of harmless dense vapour aimed at reducing visibility and disorientating intruders.
"We were called out at 2.53am to a fire alarm going off," he said. "When we arrived, we noticed the smoke cloak was activated. These things are a regular occurrence and you normally think it will be a false alarm, but you always treat it as if it is a serious incident.
"When the smoke cloak activates, it's horrible in there. Once they go off, you don't want to be hanging about."
The crew discovered a side door had been forced open to gain entry to the store.
"It was a strange time in the morning to be called out to a fire at somewhere like Tesco and it does make you think there must be something more afoot," Mr Atkins added.
"As soon as we saw the door was forced open we made our way back out and contacted the police. We could see that somebody had been in.
"There were quite a few cigarettes and smashed bottles of spirits on the floor."
The firefighters checked the store to ensure it was safe and stayed at the site until officers from Sussex Police attended.
The store and adjacent petrol station, which was due to open for trade at 7am, was still cordoned off with police tape at 11am, as officers continued to investigate the crime.
Nick Edgerton, whose son finished work at the store at 10pm the previous night, said: "I drove past about 8.40am this morning (Friday) and it was all cordoned off. Police and staff were all sat outside. I was a bit worried about what had happened."
Staff at the store spoke only to confirm a burglary had occurred.
A Tesco spokeswoman said: "This incident is a matter for the police and we will be helping them with their investigation in any way we can."
Anyone with any information relating to the incident is encouraged to call Sussex Police on 101, quoting serial 171 of August 2. Reported by This is 8 hours ago.