THOUSANDS of pounds of vintage cider has been stolen from a Tenbury producer.

Around 60 cases of Robinsons Fine Dry 2011 vintage cider were taken when thieves broke into a business premises near the Herefordshire/ Shropshire/Worcestershire border between midnight and 2am on Sunday December 2.

Adam Harris, community support officer, said: “This particular cider is not on sale anywhere. It was due to be released onto the market in 2013, so if do you see it then it is definitely the stolen stock we are looking for.

“Robinsons only make one product which they sell in bottles and the label is pretty much identical to the one pictured, except that it doesn't have the ‘2011’ as in red on the image. Also, the producer always packs the bottles into cardboard boxes before distributing them.

“So, if the individual bottles say ‘2011’ on the front label and/or they are found in shrink wrapped units of 12 bottles, then they are stolen.

“We are appealing to anyone – members of the public, licensees, bar staff – who may have seen this cider on sale, or been offered it, to call us. It may be that it has been purchased in good faith and if this is the case, then please get in touch so that we can clarify the issue at the earliest opportunity.”

Anyone with information can call CSO Harris on 0300 333 3000, quoting 127S 041212.