RAM-RAIDERS smashed into two units in Medway City Estate, stealing more than £8,000 of tools and equipment and three vehicles parked in a car park. ,The thieves battered the doors of the units using a van parked outside the Medway Enterprise Centre.

They took everything they could carry but, Peter Lockwood, who runs his business, PJP Services Ltd, out of Unit 151, believes much of the stolen property will be useless to the thieves. He said: "My company maintains and refurbishes window cleaning equipment for high rise buildings so they won't be able to use a lot of it because it is specialist equipment.

"I reckon they've probably taken about £7,000 worth of stuff and the annoying thing is they're going to be selling it off for a fraction of the price I bought it for."

Dave Harrington had more than £1,000 of equipment stolen when the raiders hit Unit 150, which houses his engineering company, Towpath Ltd. He said: "Nothing like this has ever happened before - I am devastated. I just hope these people get caught so they can't do this kind of thing to other people."

The raiders also took the van and two Land Rovers which were parked in a car park outside the centre.

A police spokesman said: "If anyone has any information about this incident we would ask them to call Rochester police station on 01634 884252 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111."