Thieves stole £10k worth of cars and £17k worth of tools

On the same night, thieves also broke into another nearby garage - by smashing a hole through the roof.

Garage owners believe the two thefts may be linked - and also linked to an earlier theft at one of the garages.

The second-hand cars were being serviced at Ace Travel Garage before going to their new owners and the car dealer said their loss would have a “devastating impact.”

The break-in was discovered when Richard Springhill, 30, owner of Ace Travel Garage, in Barbourne, arrived to open up on Monday morning.

He said: “I noticed I was having difficulty getting through the front metal shutter.

“Two cars were stolen, which we were servicing for Jonathan Wilkinson of the Worcester Used Car Centre - one car was inside, the other on our premises outside.”

He believes the theft happened around midnight on Monday, June 3.

However, a 15-foot ladder, secured at the rear of nearby The Garage, on Gregory’s Mill Street, was also taken by the thieves on the same night.

The ladder was then used to break-in at Strefford’s of Worcester, on Bromsgrove Street, Worcester.

Thieves appear to have broken-in at the back and gained access to the small office inside the workshop through a hole they made in the roof.

However, the thieves were thwarted by the alarm system and left empty-handed.

Jim Strefford, 67, who founded the company, said: “ I had a call from the alarm control centre around 3.30am and when I went around, there was a large police presence but they didn’t catch them as they had gone by then.”

Mr Strefford said thieves also gained access to Strefford’s through the roof in the same way in December 2018. On that occasion, thousands of pounds worth of expensive tools were stolen.

An estimated £8,000 was also taken from a locked safe kept in the office.

Nathan Strefford, 40, manager, said: “I feel sick as this has been a family business for the last 20 years.”

Jonathan Wilkinson, 46, owner of the Worcester Used Car Centre, said: “The two cars were already sold and were having some work done at Ace’s ready to go to the new owners.

“Yes, insurance will cover it but in the short-term, it’s had a devastating impact on the company’s cash-flow.

“Worcester is a sleepy city and I wouldn’t have thought this would happen.

A grey Landrover Freelander, registration WN57 KCC and a Fiesta Zetec S in bright blue, registration CK09 OJL are still missing.

A spokesman from West Mercia Police said police were called at around 8am on Tuesday, June 4 to reports of a break-in on Gregory's Mill Street, Worcester. It is believed that two vehicles, tools and equipment were taken from the business premises between 5.30pm on Monday, June 3 and 8am on Tuesday, June 4.

Any witnesses should contact West Mercia Police on 101 quoting reference 78s 040619 or alternatively Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.