Detectives are hunting a gang of thieves who stole a haul of metal detectors valued at hundreds of thousands of pounds from a lorry parked in Bradford.

About 300 boxes of detectors, with a total value of £400,000, were taken when the thieves broke into the lorry’s trailer while it was parked up overnight in Common Road, Low Moor.

The high-value theft took place as the lorry stopped off en route from Ireland to Istanbul in Turkey.

Boxes of Minelab GPX 4500 metal detectors were taken from the red and white Renault heavy goods vehicle.

The stolen metal detectors are owned by Minelab, of County Cork, and were being transported from Ireland to Turkey by Turkish agents.

The HGV had stopped at a Bradford warehouse but had been parked up overnight on the roadside, close to the Guide Post Hotel. It is understood the Turkish driver slept in his cab and discovered the theft the following morning.

Minelab general manager Sheila Kelleher said the Turkish agents were offering a reward for information about the theft.

She said the metal detectors were a very specialist product, used at the higher end of the market to identify gold nuggets.

Mrs Kelleher said the theft was of tremendous concern.

“We are desperate that any information about who has carried out this hijacking, or where the product is now, should be given to the appropriate authorities in confidence.”

Detective Constable Imran Haider, of Bradford South CID, who is leading the investigation, said: “Whoever has taken these items must have done so using a large vehicle and it is highly likely there will have been more than one person involved.

Det Con Haider asked anyone with information, or anyone who may have witnessed the theft which took place between 8pm on Thursday and 8am the following day, to contact police, on the non-emergency number 101, or Crimestoppers, in confidence, on 0800 555 111.

e-mail: steve.wright@telegraphandargus.co.uk

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