DECTECTIVES are liasing with police forces across the country in their bid to hunt down the gang that kidnapped a security guard and robbed a Felixstowe haulage yard.

By Richard Cornwell

DECTECTIVES are liasing with police forces across the country in their bid to hunt down the gang that kidnapped a security guard and robbed a Felixstowe haulage yard.

Police have not yet linked the incident with any other but have confirmed they are currently talking to Essex and Cambridgeshire force and will be widening their investigation to a national level to see if the incident was part of a series.

A value can not yet be put on the robbery as police are still tying to establish exactly what was taken from the 20 containers which were broken in to in the yard.

The robbery and kidnapping of a Securicor guard was carried out by four men dressed as police officers on Saturday at approximately 8pm at Pentalver Transport container yard.

As the guard approached the van, the men wearing balaclavas, grabbed him and handcuffed him and then drove for four hour before dumping him in Essex.

Acting Detective Inspector Allan Forbes said: "This was a very serious incident and the offenders seized the security officer's liberty and this was a serious aggressive factor.

"The guard who is in his mid 30s received minor injuries and although shaken is in good spirits and health despite his ordeal."

The guard who live in Felixstowe but has not been identified by police, was left shaken by his ordeal and he has declined to talk publicly about the attack

The gang stole three 40ft Volvo lorries from the road haulier and container storage operator in Blofield Road. Two of the lorries contained Nike footware and in the other lorry there were boys' cotton trousers.

Police believe the four men were in the area from around 2.30pm on Saturday scouring the Port before the robbery and kidnapping at 8pm and would like to hear from anybody who may have a seen a white style transit van between these times.

Police urge anyone who may have seen the vehicles, which may have been travelling in convoy to Essex, to contact Felixstowe CID on 01473 383300 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.