THREE men have now been charged following spate of arrests yesterday in relation to a safe smashing gang, including one from Brinkworth.

Seven men were arrested in a dawn raids involving almost 80 police officers yesterday morning targeting a gang suspected of breaking into properties and smashing open safes.

Jesse Gregory, 49, of Brinkworth, David Royles, 53, of Gloucester and Joseph Butler, 24, also of Gloucester, have been charged with conspiring to commit a burglary other than a dwelling with intent to steal.

They have been remanded in custody and will appear at Swindon Magistrates Court tomorrow.

Four other people arrested this morning have been released on police bail pending further enquiries.

It is estimated that damage to properties, combined with cash and valuables taken, amounted to a total of £1 million.

If the gang could not get into the safes they would attach straps to a tow bar of a vehicle and tow it off its mountings to somewhere they could be prised open There were also incidents where suspects have taken out whole walls to get to a safe, causing massive amounts of damage.

Addresses in Calne, Brinkworth, near Swindon, and Willows Lane in Gloucester were targeted in the raids.