A collection of rare tortoises valued at thousands of pounds has been snatched from a house in Bradford.

Police and Customs officers have been put on alert in the hunt for the reptiles which were due to take part in a captive breeding programme in America later this year.

The collection of Mediterranean, American Box and Pancake tortoises were taken in the early hours of Tuesday from a house in the Eccleshill area.

Police believe the rare breeds were targeted by intruders, who also stole a cash till to make it look like a normal burglary.

Only six of the 57 tortoises, stored in tropical reptile tanks and special greenhouses, were left behind.

The licensed collector, who does not want to be identified for security reasons, said he believed his collection had been "stolen to order".

"I worried about whether they will survive. I think it was a planned raid," he said.

"I have been collecting tortoises for 21 years - some were abandoned and taken in, others were bred in captivity. They are worth a lot of money, but that doesn't matter to me.

"The Pancake tortoises were due to be flown to America in the spring to take part in a breeding programme, and the American Box tortoises were going to be semi-released into their natural habitat."

Eccleshill wildlife officer PC Keith Woodthorpe, said the tortoises could be destined for the black market.

"It is illegal to import and keep certain breeds of tortoise without a licence nowadays, which makes them difficult animals to sell.

"There are two possibilities. They were either stolen for sale elsewhere, or it was a normal burglary where they got more than they bargained for.

"Either way, the animals will die unless they are looked after properly."

Pancake tortoises originate from the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro, Kenya. They cost £400 each and will die within a matter of hours unless kept in tropical conditions. Wildlife experts say they are designated as being as rare as a Giant Panda.

America placed a ban on the exportation of its 'Box' tortoises in the 1990s because of fears over dwindling numbers. They cost £100 each. A blast of icy weather is enough to make them hibernate and die within a few months.

The Mediterranean tortoises were popular pets in the 1960s and 70s, but are now worth £400 each. It became illegal to import them in the 1980s.

Anyone with information about the stolen tortoises is asked to contact Eccleshill Police on (01274) 376059.

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