Masked intruders have left north Ceredigion businesses “devastated” after breaking into seven premises in just one night, stealing equipment and vehicles, worth tens of thousands of pounds.

Police have launched an investigation, with forensic officers going through the businesses in Clarach, Bow Street and Ponterwyd where the thieves made off with tens of thousands of pounds worth of stock, vehicles and equipment on Sunday night.

Police are treating the incidents as linked and forensic work continues.

Four Clarach businesses based at the Nantllan Business Park were hit by the thieves – Exley Motors, Gary’s Bargains, Swansons Conversions and Graham’s Vehicle Repairs.

Bicycles and steamers were reported stolen, along with a generator and two boxes containing LED lighting, a Mitsubishi L200 flatbed truck, and tools.

The truck, stolen from Exley Motors, was later found abandoned in Clarach and will be examined by police.

Tracy Exley, whose husband Mike runs Exley Motors, said the incident has left them “absolutely devastated”.

“These scumbags have ruined my husband’s business,” she said.

“They’ve taken almost all of his tools, which were all really expensive.

“We initially thought that his L200 Mitsubishi pickup had been stolen, but it seems they’d used this to transport the stolen items to another vehicle and it was left by the sewerage works in Clarach.

“We’re absolutely devastated.

“Mike had built up his collection of tools over nearly 30 years. Some will be irreplaceable."

Anyone with information can report it online at bit.ly/dppReport Online, by email at [email protected] or by calling 101.

See this week’s Aberystwyth paper for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition now