THIEVES have stolen £60,000 of prawns from a fish processing firm.

The shellfish were stolen from a transportation trailer, which was later found dumped and empty at Rivington Services — hundreds of miles from where it was taken.

The thieves stole the trailer and its cargo of prawns from a fish processing firm in Damhead Circle in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, between 10pm and 11pm on Sunday.

The trailer was found at the service station on the M61 northbound at noon on Wednesday.

The white Peterhead Transport trailer was stolen using an HGV unit believed to be white and blue with a grey stripe, Scottish police said.

Detectives are appealing for witnesses and are also looking for anybody with information about a white or silver car, which they believe could be connected to the incident, as it was seen in the area at the time it was stolen and was in convoy with the lorry.

Det Con Julie Wilson, from Aberdeenshire police, said: “If anybody recognises the description of the trailer or the tractor unit and believes they may have seen it travelling in and around the Aberdeenshire area late on Sunday night and possibly into the early hours of Monday morning, they are urged to get in touch with us.

“It is understood that both the tractor unit and the white or silver Volkwagen Golf may have travelled from England and are likely to have used service stations both north and south.”

Anyone with information can call police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.