Burglars stole 30 trees worth more than £3,000 in a daring break-in at a garden centre in Cardiff.

The thieves apparently dragged the trees, all around 2.5m tall, over two fences and onto a truck waiting on the motorway hard shoulder adjacent to Dutch Garden Centre in Pontprennau. They left a trail of soil leading to the getaway point.

Staff believe the burglars kicked off the pots to make the plants easier to carry as they dragged them over two fences towards a vehicle parked on the hard shoulder near junction 30.

Police believe the raid took place between 4pm last Sunday, March 1, and 9.30am on Monday

A spokesman for South Wales Police said: “The premises is clearly visible from the motorway and anyone leaving the motorway at junction 30 in an eastbound direction may have witnessed something which may assist the police in their investigation.”

The centre is offering a reward.