AN electrician has been left thousands of pounds out of pocket after thieves broken into his van - without even leaving a scratch.

Samuel Price, of Turnstone End, Colchester, is certain he locked his Ford Transit van when he left it parked outside his house after work on Friday.

He was left fuming when he arrived at work the next morning to find £6,500 worth of tools had gone missing.

Mr Price, 26, said: “I came out the house this morning, got in the van, picked my mate up and went to work.

“When it came to opening the back of the van everything was gone.

“I had heard the day before on the radio warnings about special keys you can buy online that get you into Transit vans. That is clearly what has happened here.

“I am regimental when it comes to locking my van - I walk around it to make sure every door is locked.

“They have taken pretty much every tool I own. I am very angry. They have basically stolen my livelihood. I cannot work without these tools.

“I have friends in the trade who have offered to help me out but I can’t work at the moment.

“As far as I am aware my boss’s insurance won’t cover the cost.

“I talked to my insurance company and as there is no sign of forced entry I likely won’t see any money.

“This is my own personal collection of tools that I have built up over 12 years of being in the trade.”

Mr Price said he knew of two other workers who had their vans broken into over the weekend in the St Anne’s area of Colchester and in Brightlingsea.

He said: “The guy in Brightlingsea is a young bloke and he has just found out he is having a baby.

“They destroyed his van, smashed it to pieces.

“He is the one I really feel for.”

Sam’s stolen tools include a Veto Pro PAC Tech LC bag, a Milwaukee M12 combi drill and impact with three batteries, a Dewalt tough box system containing a Makita SDS drill, a Makita multi tool, 12 Makita batteries and a Fluke 1652c multi meter.

Anyone with information can call Colchester Police on 101.