POLICE have put out an appeal to help trace a rare £20,000 boat stolen from a trading estate in Portishead. The Fletcher 19 GTS Sportcruiser boat was taken from premises on the Harbour Road trading estate at about 10.40pm on May 15. The owner had dropped

POLICE have put out an appeal to help trace a rare £20,000 boat stolen from a trading estate in Portishead.The Fletcher 19 GTS Sportcruiser boat was taken from premises on the Harbour Road trading estate at about 10.40pm on May 15.The owner had dropped his boat off at 5.30pm earlier that night for work to be carried out.About half an hour later a member of the boat company took the boat and trailer to a secure compound in the Portishead quays marina, where it was secured.The boat company worker believes there may have been a metallic grey or silver battered looking 4x4 vehicle - possibly a Mitsubishi Shogun - driving around at the time, which is also believed to have been in the area earlier in the day.The alarm was raised at 10.40pm when the berth master was alerted and told that a 4x4 vehicle had hooked up to a boat and trailer and driven from the trading estate.It was discovered the padlock, where the boat had been stored had been damaged.At 11.30pm the berth master made a second check of the compound and discovered offenders trying to hook up to an inflatable boat on a trailer.The culprits ran to two vehicles and drove off.Police have put out an appeal for anyone who may have seen a silver or grey coloured 4x4 in the Portishead area on the evening of May 15 pulling a trailer containing a boat.Anyone with information is asked to contact police at Portishead on 0845 4567000 or contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.