Shock as thieves tear paving slabs out of the ground in Sussex village car park

People in Storrington were confused to find a large number of slabs had been removed from the pavement last night, March 1, leaving gaping holes in the path.

But now Horsham District Councillor for Storrington and Washington James Wright has said the slabs are believed to be stolen.

He added: “It looks like they were stolen overnight which is obviously shocking.

“The police are aware and the Horsham District Council community team are assisting the police and the parks team who are responsible for the car park are on their way down to make it safe.”

The theft follows a similar incident in Steyning last month, Mr Wright said.

A Horsham District Council spokeswoman said: “The Council believes that the paving slabs may have been stolen overnight.

“We are currently looking at CCTV footage of the area and have reported this incident to Sussex Police. In the meantime we are making the area safe for car park users.”

The slabs are York Stone and sell for between £67 and £85 per square metre, according to Reclaimed Bricks and Yorkstone.

Sussex Police said: “At 11am on Tuesday March 2 police received a report that sometime between Sunday night and Tuesday morning a quantity of York Stone paving had been dug up and stolen from a council car park in Ryecroft Lane, Storrington.

“Anyone with information can contact Sussex Police either online at https://www.sussex.police.uk/contact/af/contact-us/ or by calling 101, quoting serial 390 of 02/03.”