Lavenham Jackets MD Nicky Santomauro with jackets like those that were stolen.

THE theft of hundreds of designer jackets worth more than £60,000 from a factory in Suffolk has left the business owner “disillusioned and disappointed”.

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Managing director of Lavenham Jackets, Nicky Santomauro, said many of the items taken from the Sudbury-based business were for new overseas clients, and could not be replaced in time to fulfil valuable orders.

She said: “It is hard enough trying to grow a business in this economic climate without this kind of thing happening.

“It’s devastating, not only for me, but for the girls who work in the factory – we all feel like we have been violated.

“Several of the jackets were for new customers from Canada and South Korea. Now we can’t fulfil the first orders, we might lose their business because they will think we are unreliable.

“It’s not just the jackets that have gone, it’s also the possible loss of future business.”

The company employs 125 staff at its Church Field Road premises. The stolen jackets were easily identifiable, according to Ms Santomauro, who added: “Fifty of them had ‘PINK’ embroidered across the back and they all carry our distinctive Union Jack label.

“If anyone tries to sell them on, we would like to know. We are offering a £1,000 reward for the recovery of the stolen items or the successful prosecution of anyone involved.”

Thieves broke into the factory last Thursday evening. Police arrived to find a padlock had been ripped from the gate, one of the entry doors had been broken and there were tyre marks in the car park.

They believe the 441 jackets were stolen by someone who knew what they were looking for, and are likely to be sold in small batches.