BRAZEN thieves have stolen three lorries from industrial estates after seizing sets of keys from locked offices.

Police are still looking for the HGV hijackers who made off with a £30,000 Mercedes lorry from Boarhunt garage at West Portway, Andover and two lorries from Sita, based at Thruxton Industrial Estate.

Similar methods were used to steal all three - thieves forced their way into the business premises and found the vehicle's key.

At Boarhunt Garage on West Portway's Smeaton Road, a hole was cut in the fence surrounding the yard at around 10.10pm on Thursday.

The intruders then put their hand through the letterbox and took the keys to a D-registered, brown and beige, £30,000 recovery vehicle.

Boarhunt employee Paul Whitmarsh said: "It seems as though it was all done in a hurry, within about 15 seconds."

On Sunday night at Thruxton waste management company, Sita, thieves forced their way into a hangar and climbed into the cabs of two large lorries. They had already taken the keys to the Scania lorries from the site office and opened the site gate. After driving the lorries to the main exit, the thieves broke the padlock to the main estate and drove away.

The thieves also stole three bags of copper piping, worth £200.

Andover police are now warning all industrial estate companies to be vigilant and report anything suspicious.

Police spokesman Alan Smith said: "We would like companies to adopt security measures when the premises are left unattended, particularly with respect to securing vehicle keys out of site or in lockable cabinets."

Anyone who was in the area and may have seen the vehicles being driven away is asked to contact Andover police station on 0845 045 45 45 or the anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111.