THIEVES have escaped with three classic cars from a garage forecourt in the space of just a week.

There are fears that the MGB sports cars could have been stolen to order and have already been sold on to either an unscrupulous collector or unwitting buyers who think they have a bargain.

A white MG B Roadster worth £10,000, a black MG B GT worth £4,500 and a red MG B GT worth £4,250 were all stolen from Beech Hill Garage last week.

The Roadster (RJW2 00F) and black GT (SKU2 26J) were both taken between 6.15pm on Wednesday July 29 and 8.15am the next morning, and the red GT (OCK6 37K) some time between 6pm on Wednesday, July 22 and 8.15am on Monday, July 27.

William de la Rivière, director of the garage in Beech Hill Road, which has been an MG specialist since 1979, said: "Any information leading to the cars' recovery will be rewarded generously."

Editor of Enjoying MG magazine, Richard Ladds, told the Chronicle: "Sadly it is relatively easy to steal a classic MG and therefore we would always recommend that owners to take extra security measures.

"Interestingly, we have had very few thefts reported to the MG Owners' Club this year.

"Selling these MGs on may prove difficult because the classic car market is now quite specialised. It's possible they were stolen to order or perhaps they were taken to provide valuable spare parts.

"We would warn potential buyers to be extra vigilant when examining the documentation and identification plates on any MG for sale."

Anyone with any information or for more details on the stolen cars can call him on 0118 988 5774, or Thames Valley Police on 0845 8 505 505.

Full details on the cars:

MG B ROADSTER in Old English White

Registration Number: RJW200F

Chassis Number: GHN3-115972

Valued at £9,995

Crime Reference Number: EA3393258-09

This car is fully restored in Old English white with black leather seats

with white piping, wood rim Moto-Lita steering wheel, black vinyl hood also

with white piping, wire wheels and overdrive gearbox.

Distintively it had wooden door cappings in a varnish finish.

MG B GT in Black

Registration Number: SKU226J

Chassis Number: GHD5235667

Valued at £4,495

Crime Reference Number: FP3393326-09

This car was fully resprayed in black with Autumn Leaf Interior, new 15"

Minilite type wheels with new Yokohama Tyres and overdrive gearbox.

There are lots of distintive features to identify this car.

MG B GT in Flame Red

Registration Number: OCK637K

Chassis Number: GHN3-115972

Valued at £4,250

Crime Reference Number: EA3391367-09

This car is in Flame Red with biscuit seats and black carpet, RO style

wheels in a slightly darker shade of silver than normal and overdrive

gearbox. There are lots of distintive features to identify this car.