THIEVES broke into an industrial unit at the weekend and stole three furniture vans, two of which were loaded with sofas and suites worth thousands of pounds.

The vans were stolen sometime overnight between Saturday, May 15, and Sunday, May 16, from an industrial unit off Burtonhead Road, St Helens.

One of the vehicles, a white Mercedes, registration R764 DDM, was recovered in Recreation Street, Fingerpost. The others - a blue Ford 7 tonne cargo, registration E893 TDB and an Iveco, registration M372 NNF - were found abandoned behind R & B Pet Stores, in Liverpool Road, Haydock.

Police are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the lorries being driven out of the industrial unit, or being abandoned and emptied, to contact DC John Dutton at St Helens CID on 0151 777 6064, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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