Thieves using blowtorches to get to the furniture based at IFD in Oldbury

Dramatic images released today show thieves caught using blowtorches to reach £80,000 worth of antique furniture after drugging a guard dog with sleeping pills.

The CCTV pictures show flames shooting up as the thieves cut their way into metal containers during a raid at a warehouse in Oldbury.

In another picture one of the crooks can be seen locking the drugged guard dog into an outhouse on the site. It took three lorry loads and more than nine hours to take the goods, which had been packed up in metal containers ready to be transported to customers around the UK.

Up to five offenders are caught on the CCTV images using blowtorches to cut through five secure containers before loading the contents into heavy goods vehicles. One picture shows a huge lorry arriving to take away the haul.

Now bosses at Indian Furniture Direct, in Union Road, are offering a £5,000 reward to anyone who can help retrieve the heavy cargo.

The items stolen include entertainment centres, sideboards, drawer units and dining room tables, all of which have been imported from India ready to sell on to traders.

Business owner Mark Hydes, aged 50, said: “The CCTV images show them coming up and throwing some food over the gate to Jenny the dog and then they walked off.

“There must have been sleeping pills in it because the dog went very docile and when they came back a while later they kicked her a bit and went and locked her in a room.”

He added: “Because it was in the containers our insurance won’t pay up, we’ve got up to 80 customers waiting for their goods and we are set to lose a fortune, it’s just horrendous.”

The lorries are 7.5-ton curtain sided vehicles, both white, with blue sides.

The theft took place between 1.40pm and 10.46pm on October 26.