A GANG of burglars stole wine worth more than £100,000 from an independent Hampshire business .

The thieves forced their way through security gates with a disc cutter, broke into three vehicles, stole tools and even took a car to flee with their haul of alcohol.

The four men spent three hours on the site when they took hundreds of cases of wine – some worth more than £50 – after smashing into the storage unit.

Delwyn Taylor, owner of Alexander Hadleigh wine merchants, has a shop in the Locks Heath Shopping Centre but stores the wine on Bury Farm Industrial Estate in Curbridge, where the theft took place.

She said she is devastated by the burglary.

The stock was due to be distributed to restaurants and hotels in the area.

The businesswoman said: “It is a devastating blow to the business. It has, of course kicked, us hard but we are not going to let this bring us down. You have to get on with it and it will be hard, but we will.

“When we found out it was like being hit with a hammer.

“It is absolutely sickening and we are still in a state of shock. We have got to carry on and just hope these thieves get put away. They are intent on destruction and have no regard for those they are hurting.”

Some of the bottles of wine are the only type to be imported into the country so are very distinctive.

Police investigating the crime urged people to contact them if they have been offered the wine to buy or have received it as a gift.

Officers said the stolen vehicle – a white Ford Iveco van – was later abandoned in the Wimborne area of Dorset.

Police investigator Jerry King said: “Much of the stolen wine can be easily identified as the victims are the only company to import the wine into England.

“I would urge anyone with any information no matter how small, to come forward and speak to us as your information could be significant and could help us find those responsible.”

Anyone with information should call Jerry King on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.