A booming family business fears it is being targeted by a gang of thieves keen to put their hands on its sweaters.

Clothing firm Woolovers has had two loads of cashmere sweaters and tops stolen by professional crooks in a few days.

The gang first escaped with 800 items after breaking into a hall in Essex where they were being stored for a sale. Days later the criminals broke into a Woolovers lorry parked outside the company headquarters in Haywards Heath and grabbed another 500 tops.

Woolovers founder Mark Shenton said: "We're worried that we might have been targeted. To have two big thefts in a week is simply bizarre, even with the geographical difference.

"We haven't been hit for seven years - when they came through with machine tools and cut a hole in the warehouse.

"We've locked the place up like Fort Knox since then, with four-inch steel plates covering the doors, which seems a bit extreme for a knitwear company."

The mail order business has achieved record sales this year but Mr Shenton said his bumper Christmas was suddenly looking decidedly bleak.

Staff were preparing for a festive sale at Marks Tey village hall in Essex when the site was hit by the thieves on November 26.

The hall was also damaged, as were its camera and video recording equipment, leading police to suspect a professional theft.

Last Thursday the company's lorry, parked outside its office at Bolney Grange Industrial Estate, was broken into and a further 500 cashmere sweaters and tops stolen. Police are looking at CCTV footage.

The images show a van and two young men entering the business park waving torches.

The van was recorded leaving the park at 9.45pm, using the cover of another delivery vehicle to sneak out through the security gates.

Mr Shenton said: "They've smashed two windows and broken through padlocks to get into the truck. We've lost about £35,000 of goods in total.

"We've had a really successful 2007 and we've still got stock but the worst thing is you now start worrying about it every night.

"This isn't the first time someone on the estate has been burgled. We even had travellers staying here at one point. We need more security." Firms at the business park are considering employing their own security guards.

Anybody with information should contact PC Heath on 0845 6070999 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.