Man arrested after theft from van in Annesley Woodhouse

Police were called to The Steeples at around 8.40am on Monday October 17 to reports that a van had been broken into and a large amount of tools had been stolen.

A 46-year-old man was taken into custody and released under investigation as enquiries continue.

Annesley gas engineer Craig Dooley has spoken of his frustration after thieves stole an estimated £4,000 of tools leaving him unable to make a living.

“One of the locks had been interfered with on the drivers side of the van . They got into the back of the van and cleared it out completely.

They stole about £4,000 worth of power tools . The most expensive item was a gas analyser worth £800.

“I really can’t work without it.

“The gas analyser will be useless now as there is a marker on it that it is stolen. It was no use to anyone but me

“I know at least two vans which have been done in similar circumstances to mine.”

Craig, 60 spent 34 years in the fire services and trained as a gas engineer from scratch to boost his income.

A police spokesman said; “Over the past three months, we’ve had three reports of thefts from vans over in the Annesley Woodhouse area which are not being linked.

“We take vehicle crime seriously. Our local Neighbourhoods analyse trends in these offences, as we know how heavily they can impact on people’s lives and livelihoods.

“We act on them accordingly by increasing patrols and where a series is identified, we will implement covert tactics in a bid to catch those responsible.

“We respond to incidents in line with threat, risk and harm and have to prioritise incidents where, for example, offenders are still on the scene. However, all incidents are followed up and officers will investigate all possible lines of enquiry.

“We ask vehicle owners to be vigilant and ensure they carry out as many security measures as possible.

“We advise people not to leave valuables in their vehicles overnight.

However, if they feel they have to, to ensure they park in garages, well-lit areas, look at installing CCTV and that they have appropriate insurance.”

If anyone sees anything suspicious or has any information that could help call 101. You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.