WORKMEN have today blasted thieves who escaped with equipment and valuables worth more than £12,000 from a quarry near Dorchester.

Tools, clothing, generators and personal belongings were taken in the raid on a strong-box in a shed at Warmwell Quarry.

Now police and the crime victims from Exmouth-based Jade Fabrications are appealing for help to catch the thieves.

Mark Hewitt, supervisor for Jade Fabrications, said: "It's cost us a great deal of time and money.

"They stole all our hand tools and electrical equipment, so we've got generators down here today to try and get some power to carry on with the work."

He added: "They also stole personal equipment that belongs to the men working here.

"I am disappointed. We're just trying to earn a living like anybody else, and then this happens."

The raiders tried to rip off corrugated iron strips from the shed before using boltcroppers to break the padlock.

Workers from Jade Fabrications were carrying out structural steel work at Warmwell Quarry as part of a refurbishment of a concrete plant for Ready Mix concrete. The thieves broke into the site between 8.15pm on Saturday and 8am on Sunday.

But police suspect the raiders may also have been behind an attack on empty metal storage containers at the quarry the night before.

Now they are appealing for witnesses who saw a large vehicle in the area and anyone who saw anything suspicious to contact them.

The equipment stolen included a £3,500 generator, two Rotabroach road drills, six angle grinders, welding masks, hammer-drills and hand tools.

The raiders also escaped with yellow safety jackets, a welder, a Hilti T54 hammer drill in a red case and three lengths of piping about 6.5 metres long. They burned and cut their way through a padlock on the main gates.

Mr Hewitt added: "There have been four of us here for the last two weeks and we are just trying to get the contract finished.

"They even took our fluorescent safety jackets - mind you, it was raining on Saturday, so they probably didn't want to get wet."

Call Dorchester police on (01305) 251212 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 with information.