Thousands of pounds worth of tools have been stolen from works vans in a spate of break-ins across the Sittingbourne area.

The crime wave started last month and continued at the weekend.

Among the victims was Darren Drew of Great Easthall estate. He had an electric shower, drill, drill batteries, electric testing kit, drill battery charger and a computer tablet taken, valued at more than £600.

His wife Nikki stormed: “Whoever did this should be ashamed of themselves.

“Those tools were my husband’s livelihood. He works very hard to provide for us.”

Social media was full of furious owners reporting thefts including £2,000 of Dewalt tools from a van in Attlee Way. A van in Lynsted Lane, Lynsted was seen with its side door prised open.

Tools were stolen from vans in Milton, Kemsley and Sonora Fields. Many were new versions of the Ford Transit but a Mercedes Vito was also targeted.

Owners reported the thieves often used the same method of breaking in.

One has had his van targeted three times in Kemsley and caught the break-in on CCTV. The film has been passed to the police.

The owner, who did not want to be named, said: “Last time they got a Makita radio, iPod nano and some change I keep for parking.

“The time before that, the van was empty but they took my iPod nano again and some change.”

A police spokesman appealed to anyone with information about the thefts to call 101, or 999 if a theft was taking place.

List of thefts

Neighbourhood Watch reported the following:

Makita drills stolen from a Sittibuilders’ van in Borden Lane, Sittingbourne last Friday (XY/043236/17).

Dashcam and Makita drill were taken from a van in Jade Close, Sonora Fields last month (XY/043908/17).

Skil saw, wet and dry vacuum cleaner and a mitre table saw from a van in London Road in the early hours of last Monday (XY/043591/17).

Tuscovana disc-cutter, two Paslode nail guns and a Makita bag full of tools taken from a van in Frognal Gardens, Teynham, overnight last Monday (XY/043663/17).

Several drills, saws, hand tools and an impact driver were stolen from a work van in Crown Road, Sittingbourne between midnight and 9am last Monday (XY/044178/17).

A phone, two drills and a spanner were stolen from a work van in Hildesley Close, Great Easthall between last Monday and Tuesday (XY/043661/17).

Two mobile phones, a wallet containing bank cards and £500 cash was stolen from a work van outside Morrisons in Milton Road, Sittingbourne between 3.55 and 4.55pm on Thursday (XY/044300/17).

A white Ford Transit van, registration KV58 TYD, belonging to Kentish Paving Ltd, was stolen from Recreation Way, Kemsley between Friday and Saturday (XY/044613/17).