POLICE have today released more details of the theft from a Felixstowe haulage yard of a container-load of stereos worth nearly £200,000.Detectives are hunting a highly-organised gang which turned up with their own cab unit and appeared to know exactly what they were seeking.

POLICE have today released more details of the theft from a Felixstowe haulage yard of a container-load of stereos worth nearly £200,000.

Detectives are hunting a highly-organised gang which turned up with their own cab unit and appeared to know exactly what they were seeking.

They hitched up to a trailer with a container loaded with 540 Goodman brand mini surround sound hi-fi systems inside and calmly drove off.

Police believe these will now have been distributed countrywide through a cleverly-run network system to shift the stolen goods as quickly as possible.

Officers revealed today that the theft had happened at Welham Transport in Road Hauliers Road, just outside the secure 700-acre port complex, between midnight Friday June 7 and Saturday June 8.

The thieves brought with them a white articulated tractor unit and stole the container, which had the number YMLU4851867 on the side.

Anyone who saw the cab unit in the area or noticed or hear anything suspicious, or has any information about the stereo systems, is asked to contact Dc David Mayes at Felixstowe CID on 01473 383300.

Police believe that the thefts are far from random and feel sure many of the thieves are acting on inside information, often carrying out their own surveillance.

Each investigation takes up many hours of police time as officers have to check every lead, often with trails taking them all over the country, to discover those behind the raids.

In the past six months, three boxes were taken from the Pentalver yard in Blofield Road, when a security guard was also kidnapped.

Two containers – including one with vodka worth £750,000 inside – were also taken from storage areas inside the port after thieves got hold of paperwork.

n Police also revealed today that on June 2 and 3 a quantity of Mothercare strollers were stolen from a container in a yard at Felixstowe.

The distinctive Jive "cats 'n' dogs" strollers were well marked with the Mothercare logo and name and police would like to know if anyone has been offered this kind so buggy.

Anyone with information should contact Dc Wayne McCarthy on 01473 383300.