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Criminals have driven off with an estimated £3 million in engines from Jaguar Land Rover’s Solihull plant in an astonishing film-style heist.

A suspected stolen HGV lorry was used to steal the huge haul of expensive car parts in just a few minutes on Tuesday night.

It is understood the audacious heist took place in full view of security cameras.

Police are now hunting the gang behind the theft which insiders say has left management and staff ‘stunned’.

JLR is also offering a 'substantial reward'.

A JLR spokesman said: "We can confirm that we are working closely with West Midlands Police to investigate the theft of engines from the Solihull manufacturing plant.

"A reward is on offer to anyone who has information which leads to the successful recovery of these engines.

"It would be inappropriate for us to make any further comment whilst this investigation is ongoing."

Insiders say the stolen 40 tonne lorry arrived at the Solihull Lode Lane depot at 10.30pm on Tuesday and entered through the security-manned D1 gate.

The HGV then drove to the Lagoons depot and hooked up to a trailer containing the car engines, before driving out.

Sources claim the criminals obtained paperwork from the site before leaving - making their escape easier.

Sources claim the first theft took just SIX MINUTES.

The stolen lorry is believed to have unloaded in the Coventry area.

Incredibly, the same lorry is believed to returned to the factory a couple of hours later before hooking up another trailer and driving off with more car engines.

A source said: “They just hooked up the trailers. They were in and out in just six minutes with the first theft. The whole place is in uproar about it.”

West Midlands Police said in a statement: “Police are appealing for any information in relation to a large scale theft of Jaguar Land Rover engines in Coventry.

“It is believed the engines were stolen from the Damson Lane site in Tile Hill sometime between late night Tuesday 31 January and the early hours of Wednesday 1 February.

“An articulated truck is believed to have entered the site twice, each time hooking up to trailers carrying the engines and then leaving again through the gate.

“The empty stolen trailers have since been located.

“Any information on the whereabouts of the engines or those involved in the thefts should be reported to Solihull police. “

Anyone with information is urged to call police on 101.