Witnesses to a £40,000 theft at a thriving Colne factory are being urged to step forward by police, councillors and staff members.
ELE Advanced Technologies, in Cotton Tree Lane, was targeted between 10pm and midnight on Sunday.
Thieves stole 10 turbine blades valued at £30,000 and two paint-sized tins of carbide recycling worth £10,000.
Damage to the building has been estimated at £1,500, and a security light worth approximately £50 was also smashed to pieces.
A police spokesman said: “This was a high value burglary and police are carrying out a number of enquiries to try and identify the person or people responsible.”
Offenders are said to have cut metal cladding on the outside of the building, before then battering through the breeze block wall.
However, having found a vehicle in the way, the offenders have then moved about two metres and carried out the same offence to gain entry.
It is believed that an attachment, possible a fork from a forklift truck, was used by the thieves. CCTV is currently being looked at by police.
Talking about the incident, ELE finance director Martin Harrison said: “We are assisting the police in every way that we can. We are backing their appeal, and urge anyone with any information to step forward.
“Somebody has clearly gone to a lot of effort and caused a lot of damage for something that will be of insignificant value to them.
“It is a nuisance to us in our ability to serve our customers.”
And Coun. Paul White, who represents the Boulsworth ward, added that he hopes the offenders “are brought to justice and get what they deserve”.
He said: “I’d urge anyone with information about the crime to come forward.
“What these criminals haven’t taken into account is the effect this could have had on people’s businesses, livelihoods, and those of the staff.
“This company employs local people, who are all willing to go out and do a hard days work for a living, while we have some serious criminals thinking they can just smash their way in and help themselves.”
Anybody with any information about this incident are asked to contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.