'Livelihood under threat' - Fury after van raiders spree

Aaron Rothwell, 39, runs A1 Electrical and Property Services and his nightmare began last Thursday while he was carrying out work on a property in Bingley.

Because of the nature of the work, he had a lot of tools in his van, but was later horrified to discover that a number of high-end and expensive items had been stolen.

He initially though the break-in had happened while the van was parked at his house in Norton Tower, but when he went back to work in Bingley on Monday, the thieves hit again.

Mr Rothwell says police believe the culprits entered the van by hitting a screwdriver under the lock and then waggling it to push the mechanism which opens the doors. He now fears his insurance company will not pay out and said he may have to close his business, with a loss of more than £1,000 in wages.

Mr Rothwell said: “This is a massive issue. People have said ‘this is how they got into my van’. Enough is enough. It’s disgusting.”

He said he is not going to let the issue drop - he has contacted Halifax MP Holly Lynch over the issue and wants to start an online petition calling for more to be done. West Yorkshire Police confirmed it was investigating the incidents, which happened on Peel Street, Bingley. A spokesperson said that it’s believed the suspects may have had access to a vehicle. Anyone with any information is asked to contact police via 101 quoting 13170291652.