A local business owner in Coalisland has been left reeling after thieves broke into his business on two occasions last weekend.
John McMahon from JMC Tyre Centre in the Co Tyrone town caught groups of youths on CCTV on two separate occasions over the weekend entering his tyre shed during the night.
John told Belfast Live it happens every year in the lead-up to Halloween as young people in the area collect tyres to put on bonfires.
“It happens every year. There is a seven-foot fence around my yard and the tyres are kept in a container with a lock on it," John said.
“They have climbed the fence, broken the lock off and took the tyres with them. There is other stuff in the containers as well but it’s clear that’s all they want.
“It’s breaking and entering no matter what way you look at it and it’s burning my livelihood.”
CCTV footage from the incidents shows a group of young people with a hammer breaking the lock on one of John’s containers and entering.
A spokesperson for the PSNI said they were investigating a report of a burglary and an attempted burglary in Coalisland.
“Police received a report of an overnight burglary at a business on Washingbay Road in Coalisland at around 8am on Sunday 2 October,” the spokesperson said.
“A large number of tyres were taken from the premises. The following day a second report of an attempted burglary was received. On this occasion the suspects left empty-handed.
“Anyone with information can contact police on 101, quoting reference 596 02/10/22.”
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