DETECTIVES are to make a TV appeal for help to catch the gang who posed as police to steal three lorries and kidnap a security guard at Felixstowe.Det Ch Insp Ivan Smith is to appear on ITV's Crime Night programme tomorrow to talk about the theft.

DETECTIVES are to make a TV appeal for help to catch the gang who posed as police to steal three lorries and kidnap a security guard at Felixstowe.

Det Ch Insp Ivan Smith is to appear on ITV's Crime Night programme tomorrow to talk about the theft.

The programme makers have been to Felixstowe to take film of the haulage yard and the area where the theft happened to use with the appeal for information.

A police spokeswoman said: "The programme goes out across the region and focuses on crimes in East Anglia.

"We are hoping that this will enable the appeal to reach a wider audience, perhaps people who may have been offered some of the goods which were stolen or people who saw the lorries travelling on the road."

Crime Night will be on ITV tomorrow at 11.30pm.

Meanwhile, officers in the case are following up a number of leads which have come from information received from their first appeals.

The raid took place at the premises of Pentalver Transport in Blofield Road, Felixstowe, at about 8pm on January 19.

A white transit-style van pulled into the yard and as security guard Stewart Williams approached, four men wearing police officers uniforms got out.

They then pulled on balaclavas, grabbed Mr Williams and handcuffed him, and threw him in the van.

Later they dumped him by the roadside on the A414 between Ongar and Chelmsford.

Mr Williams, who worked for Securicor, described the incident as the most traumatic experience of his life and one he will never forget.

"Throughout the ordeal I had no idea what the outcome would be and, in short, I feared for my life," he said.

He suffered wrist injuries and a minor shoulder injury and needed hospital treatment before returning home.

The thieves opened 20 lorries at the yard before deciding which to take – and got away with two consignments of Nike designer footwear and a load of boys' cotton trousers.

The Nike trainers were in Gladwin, Cortez Prem and Cortex Deluxe styles in various colours, and police are urging anyone who is offered this type of trainer to contact them.

Anyone with information should call Felixstowe CID on 01473 383300 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.