BOSSES of a York firm have offered a £1,000 reward in an effort to catch a gang of burglars who made off with a plasma screen television.

They were spurred on to offer the cash because of the "bare-faced" cheek of the men who forced open a door to their business and simply walked in with their get-away van waiting nearby.

The reward was for information leading to a conviction and aims to encourage witnesses or anyone who knows the culprits, one of whom is believed to have a prosthetic hand, to come forward. Police were trying to identify three men in connection with the break-in after they were seen entering Saville Audio Visual business premises in Millfield Lane, Nether Poppleton, on Wednesday, April 6.

When challenged by a member of staff, they said they were looking for the sugar works and quickly left.

Shortly afterwards, at 6.20pm, the same group returned and forced the door lock of the main entrance to get inside the building.

They then headed to a ground-floor meeting room where they removed a Hitachi plasma screen television and left back through the main door. A fourth male is believed to have been waiting outside in a white Ford Transit van.

Two of the group placed the plasma screen TV into the rear of the van before they made off.

A spokesman for Saville Audio Visual said: "The burglary was so audacious, so bare-faced, that we are hoping this reward will help to avoid it happening again.

"They were so blatant, and just walked in. We want to try and get them apprehended so it doesn't happen again here or anywhere else."

The incident was captured on CCTV, and Crimestoppers has joined the appeal by providing images from the security camera of the waiting van and members of the group. The three intruders were all white and aged around 30.

Two suspects were of average build. One had very short, receding hair and was wearing a dark, long-sleeved top, while the other was wearing white and black striped woolly hat, dark zip-up long-sleeved top, and a light checked shirt.

The third man, also white and about 30, had cropped, receding hair, was of stocky build, and was wearing a dark green top and dark trousers.

The driver was thought to be driving a K-registered white Ford Transit van, which had distinctive dark patches on the roof with rusty bodywork.

Anyone who can help identify these men, or who knows anything about the incident, should phone Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Callers do not have to give their name but could be in line to receive a cash reward.

Updated: 10:34 Friday, May 20, 2005