Ananova:

Highway robbery has reached new heights in Germany with a gang of thieves raiding trucks while they drive at high speeds on the autobahns.

They struck on the main A2 east-west motorway linking Berlin to the border of Holland by driving in an Opel Omega close to the rear bumpers of articulated lorries.

Another car, an Opel Vectra, blocked the middle - overtaking - lane so the trucker would be unable to pull out and pitch the thieves on to the asphalt.

With the lorry driver unable to see in his mirrors what was happening two men then clambered through the sun roof of the trailing car.

One thief jemmied open the back of the truck and clambered inside. The other balanced himself on the bonnet of the Opel.

"Once inside the thief began throwing out boxes of laptops, plasma screen Tvs and other high-end electrical goods," said Manfred Radecke of the police in Dortmund.

"These were then thrown with speed into the sun roof of the car. It took incredible nerve to pull off. If the truck hit the brakes for any reason the car behind would not have stood a chance."

Five trucks were robbed earlier this week - but a patrolling police car put an end to the caper when the high speed daylight robbers were caught in the act.

Police fear that the six-man gang may not be operating alone and have urged haulage firms to beef up security on their truck-trailer doors.