A spate of portable loos thefts has left the police feeling flushed after their search for the culprits has been fruitless.

Thieves plumbed to new depths when they stole toilets from eight different addresses, leaving the users bogged down with having to find alternative facilities.

The criminals targeted various sites across St Albans and Harpenden from May 11 (Wednesday), when the first theft occurred at Elliswick Road, Harpenden, between 10.35pm and 10.50pm.

Thieves pinched another potty from Cowper Road, Harpenden, between 7pm on Monday 11 and 7.15am on May 12.

Woodstock Road South, in St Albans, was targeted on May 14 between 5.30pm and 5.40pm, and Beechwood Avenue, St Albans, between May 13 and May 15.

The portable loos were next taken from Batchwood Drive, St Albans, and Browning Road, Harpenden, between May 13 and May 16.

Sandpit Lane in St Albans was targeted between 8am on May 14 and 8am on May 16.

Harefield Place is the latest to fall victim when the thieves visited the address between 4.30pm and 6.15pm on May 17.

The incidents are also being linked to a further theft which occurred in Batchwood Lane in Northwood between May 13 and 16.

Det Insp Pet Frost said: “It has been reported that the toilets were loaded into a white van during some of these incidents.

“I would ask that anyone who remembers seeing a suspicious van in any of these locations around the times stated gets in touch.”

Anyone with information should call the police on the non-emergency number 101.