A self-employed joiner has spoken of his devastation after his van and tools were stolen, leaving him out of work.

Chris Wainwright, 38, from Bury has been left  distraught after his work van was stolen on Rochdale Old Road on May 15 just after 8pm.

He had parked it at the side of the Premier newsagents at 5.41pm to visit his partner as he was helping her to do up her house, but when they came outside at around 8.30pm they noticed the van had gone.

After going to pubs and various places who have CCTV cameras, Chris managed to see that the van went past the Game Cock pub at 8.13pm.

This footage also showed it going past a Rochdale Bee Network bus, and Chris is trying to get the footage from the bus.

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Speaking about how the incident has affected him, he said: “At the moment I’m trying to investigate this, but it’s absolutely destroyed me.

“I’ve had to cancel all my work; I haven’t got any tools anymore. There was roughly between £15,000 and £20,000 worth of tools in that van, all brand-new things like tiling equipment, plumbing and electrical.

“I was supposed to move into my new place on Saturday, I’ve had to give that up now, so in two days’ time I’ll be homeless.

“It’s just completely destroyed me, I’ve got no work, no van, no tools."

Chris has tried to get the CCTV footage from the Premier newsagents however without success due to the manager being away.

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This is not the first time Chris has had his tools stolen as back in 2017, his van was broken on Wash Lane after four men were seen smashing the window.

Chris said: “I don’t know what to do but I’m keeping myself busy at the moment and I’m going from place to place who have security cameras because I’m going to build a picture of where these people have gone.

“Hopefully I can catch these people and there will be one less heartache for another person because I feel like someone’s died, it feels sad to say that, but it does, I’m breaking inside.”

The van is a silver Peugeot boxer long wheelbase with a registration number of BN65 OWX.

Bury Times: The van that was stolen The van that was stolen (Image: Chris Wainwright)

He said that hopefully he can make other van drivers aware and to urge them to up their security on their vehicles.

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He added: “These people just walked up to my van, I don’t know how they got in, there was no smashed glass or anything.

“Get a steering wheel lock or anything because you think that putting locks on the back and side doors will be ok and then they come and do this and take your whole life away.

“It’s not just the tools, I also had some personal items in there too.

“I’ve not seen my son for a year, and I had some things of his in the glove box and the only picture I have of him in my sun visor and its things like that that can’t be replaced.

“These people are disgusting, they’re the scum of the earth.”

Greater Manchester Police were contacted about the incident and said that the case is still open, and they are currently reviewing CCTV footage.