TOOLS worth more than £4,000 have been stolen in a series of raids on vans parked in the same area during the same night.

The four vehicles were broken into in Thirsk sometime between 10pm on Saturday and 6.30am the following morning.

Now police are urging tradesman not to leave equipment in their vans in an effort to prevent similar thefts.

The Thirsk thieves entered two vans in Gormire Close, one in Woolmoor Close and one on Herriot Way, stealing a wide array of power tools.

PC Andrew Johnston said: “The combined value of all the stolen tools is £4,000 and is not only a loss in itself, but the theft will also affect the day-to-day operation of local, small business.

“We have had a good response from members of the public following house-to-house enquiries, but we are still appealing for anyone who may have seen anything suspicious during Saturday night or Sunday morning, to come forward, as well as anyone who thinks they may have been offered the tools for sale.”

He added: “We are also urging people to remove their tools from their vehicles at night. We appreciate it's time consuming but it could save you a lot of money and heartache in the long run if you do empty your van after a day's work.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 0845 6060 247 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.

*Property can also be registered with Immobilise, the national property register, so goods can be returned if recovered. Log on to immobilise.com for more information.