Powerful computer equipment taken in a raid on a North-East university science complex may have been stolen to order for a foreign market.

Information taken in the raid on Durham University's science site may already have gone abroad, police confirmed last night.

Security staff disturbed the raiders, who had forced their way into the laboratory complex, off South Road and Stockton Road, in Durham, on Saturday night.

The thieves managed to strip some of the eight circuit boards from the recently installed state-of-the-art computer, but in a dramatic chase they fled with only four of the boards, leaving four others behind in situ when they were disturbed.

Two men, one described as black and the other of Arabic appearance, fled on foot from the site chased by three members of security staff.

They ran towards the car park at the New Inn, at the junction of Stockton Road and Church Street, where they jumped into a blue Mercedes car, before speeding away from the scene, shortly before 11pm.

The vehicle, registration R893 BLE, was subsequently found abandoned in the motorway service area off the A1(M) interchange, at Bowburn, near Durham. Police have subsequently discovered that the car, which was carrying false number plates, was originally from the London area.

Detective Inspector Andy Reddick, of Durham City CID, said it was the latest in a number of possibly connected thefts from universities round the country.

It is believed the information taken in the previous raids has gone abroad, and a connection with those incidents could not be ruled out, at this stage.

Each of the circuit boards taken on Saturday is around 20ins square, around two and three-quarter inches deep, weighing around 20lbs and carrying the words Sun Microsystems.

The cost of the theft and the damage to the computer, which is used to store research data, has been estimated at more than £1m.

Det Insp Reddick said the two suspects are in their mid to late 20s, and both spoke with foreign accents and in broken English.

One is described as black, around 5ft 3 - 4 and of stocky build. He has short black hair and was wearing dark clothing, possibly a hooded kagoul.

His accomplice looked Arabic and was 5ft 7 - 8in, with short dark hair, of slim build and was wearing dark tracksuit-type clothing.

Det Insp Reddick appealed to anyone in or around Durham who may have spotted the two men during Saturday night, or who might have seen them abandon their car at Bowburn.

They are asked to ring Durham City Police Station, on 0191-386 4222, or anonymously on the Crimestoppers' line, on (0800) 555111.