Whisky thieves escape with haul worth at least £100,000

‘This was clearly a targeted and co-ordinated theft carried out with the plan to sell the alcohol on illegally’

Police want to trace this cab carrying a red container photographed around the time the thieves struck (PA)

Thieves have made off with a haul of whisky worth at least £100,000 in Scotland.

The spirit was stolen in a “targeted and co-ordinated theft” from a yard belonging to one of the world’s largest Scotch whisky firms.

Police are appealing for information after the break-in in the early hours of Friday morning at the secure site belonging to Chivas Whisky Brothers in Paisley, Renfrewshire.

Officers are seeking information on a white cab with a blue trailer that was seen carrying a 20ft red container in Renfrew Road towards the M8 shortly after 2am.

"This was clearly a targeted and co-ordinated theft that has been carried out with the plan to sell the alcohol on illegally," said Detective Inspector David Wagstaff.

“I would ask anyone who was in the area between 1.20am and 2.20am on Thursday and saw the vehicle, or anything suspicious, to contact us.”

In December, thieves stole a lorry loaded with whisky and gin worth more than £100,000 from a farm in Inchinnan, also in Renfrewshire.

Additional reporting by Press Association