Joiner’s £50,000 tools and van stolen

Daniel Dainty said he has been unable to work after losing the vehicle, which contained all the tools he needed for his job.

The 34-year-old told the Wigan Post the Ford Transit Custom van went missing from outside his home between 9pm on Monday, July 6 and 9am on Tuesday, July 7.

Daniel, who lives in Bolton but is originally from Wigan and has family living in the town and customers there, said: “I went out on the Monday to the zoo and the van was still there when we got back.

“It was there at 9pm parked outside when I last saw it and it was the following morning at 9am that it had disappeared.”

A shocked Daniel then phoned the police and he said a number of the tools, which amount to a value of £35,000. were of sentimental value.

Now he is also in the process of hiring a replacement van for his Ford Transit which he paid £15,000 for.

Daniel, who set up Daniel Design & Build Solutions two years ago, said: “I can’t work at the moment and the insurance lapsed on the van two weeks ago so I’m not covered by that.

“I’ve been doing joinery for around 20 years and did it in college and this is my livelihood. There were some sentimental tools taken with the van and I’m now looking at hiring something out and I’m in the process of trying to get some money together.

“I’d only recently returned to work after being off during the lockdown and haven’t finished the two jobs I’ve started. I’m devastated by what’s happened and the people that have done this are just mindless and don’t care.”

He added: “The van and tools were stolen from the Glen Avenue, Deane area of Bolton, so I’d be grateful to anyone who has information about this to come forward and contact me on Facebook or the police.”

A fund-raising page has been set up by his sister Ashley Dainty which can be visited on https://www.gofundme.com/f/pwqpz7-my-brothers-livelihood