BOSSES at an Inverclyde boating business have been left £5,000 out of pocket after thieves stole a trailer and goods from their Inverkip HQ.

The owners of Seatrek Marine Services are counting the cost of the raid at their base in the Kip Marina on Sunday night at around 9pm.

A white Ifor trailer, pictured, containing scaffolding, boat covers, gas canisters, fuel cans and other items was taken from the rear of the Inverkip office by four men wearing hoodies.

They drove off in a green car similar to an old style Renault Scenic.

The theft was captured on CCTV and police are now analysing the footage.

Seatrek boss John Robertson says the culprits spent up to a quarter of an hour at the trailer cutting it free before attaching it to their getaway vehicle with a rope.

It wasn’t until they left that the alarm was raised.

John told the Tele: “They spent around 10 minutes out the back struggling with it. It’s a targeted attack – if you’re going to steal something like that you come with the kit to do it.

“I’m angry about it, there seems to be a resurgence in marine crime at the moment.”

The couple, who live in Inverkip, set up their business in 1997 and moved to Kip Marina 10 years later.

John’s wife Lesley says the theft has left her annoyed but she is relieved no one was injured.

She said: “We got the call at 9.25pm and they had just left the marina.

“All in all, including the trailer, it has cost just under £5,000.

“It’s more frustrating than anything.

“The good thing is nobody got hurt. But it beggars belief that no-one saw it - there were four of them.

“They had been in here about 15 minutes trying to get it.”

They say the theft on Sunday night raises questions about marine security.

Lesley said: “We’re just one of many who will have been affected. This isn’t something that’s going to go away, it’s only going to get worse. It’s up to marinas and the police to step up and prevent more incidents like this.”

Anyone with information about the theft should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.