Worcester electrician's van pried open in crowbar attack

Dan Williams, a dad-of-two from Warndon Villages, Worcester, had only just parked his van at Travelodge in Lowton, near Manchester when it was broken into.

The tradesman, who is due to turn 39 on Friday, said: "Looks like my birthday present is my van being robbed. All my tools are gone. Everything I left in the van."

Mr Williams said he believes it was pried open with a crowbar while he was on a job in the Manchester area. 

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One side of the van has been ripped open and is buckled and Mr Williams has tried his best to push it back into place. 

He has called Greater Manchester Police and been given a crime reference number but has not yet heard anything back.

Mr Williams said he parked the van at 9.15pm on Tuesday night (May 16) and within half an hour a member of the public said they were 'ripping apart his van'.

It is only two weeks since he reported his ladders stolen in Worcester. 

Because of the attack on his van, he is not sure as yet whether it will be a 'write-off' and has yet to take it in for repair.

He said friends in the trade have offered to lend him tools.

"I'm waiting to find out if the van is repairable or if it's going to be a write-off. It has shaken me up a bit to be honest.

"They have just pried it open with a crowbar down the top corner and bent it."

He has been in the trade for 20 years and trading on his own for the last six years.

Mr Williams said he rang 999 at the time but was told to ring 101.

Mr Williams was given the reference CRI/06LL/0015064/23. 

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: "We can confirm an investigation is still ongoing into this with no arrests made at this time.

"If anyone has any information that may help officers with their enquiries they are asked to ring 101 quoting 3861 of 16/05/2023."