The owner of a small business from the capital has pleaded with members of the public to try to help him recover a stolen van.
Bryan Adams, who owns a heating and bathrooms business, says that a Ford Transit Custom van was taken from a communal car parking area on Redsman Place in the Jewel area of Edinburgh.
He believes that the theft took place during the night on Thursday Feb 2 or in the early hours of the morning on Friday 3.
READ MORE: Edinburgh dad hits out at overnight tram works keeping his family awake
The impact of the van being stolen has been profound with the owner of Bryan Adams Heating & Bathrooms Ltd saying that he is losing money due to not being able to send an extra body out on jobs.
He says that an apprentice had parked the van up after his shift but had awoken to find that the vehicle had disappeared along with several important tools inside.
There was no sign of broken glass at the scene which makes Bryan think that the thieves could have been specialists.
On the ordeal he said: We are a small business, it is just me and two other guys. Having one van off the road is a bit of a disaster as it also had tools in it that belonged to myself and my apprentice.
“The impact is that we are without tools as well as transport to and from jobs which has meant we have had to cancel work. My apprentice is now having to go out with another boy on jobs and that means I am not really making any money as we are splitting it between two guys when one of them could be elsewhere.
“I do not know how long I will be without this van and that is just devastating for a small business. The insurance may not pay out for some time and without knowing what will happen it is difficult.
“I don’t have the money to buy a new one at the moment. We spent all weekend with friends searching high and low for it.
“Folk have been trying to help on Facebook by letting us know hotspots where they can be dumped. But the plates could have been changed as it seems like the folk that stole it know what they are doing.
“There was no broken glass on the ground and I understand that there is a new device that makes stealing Ford Transits easier. The van has distinctive dead bolts that were put onto it by the previous owner so it is quite noticeable as not many vans have them.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "Officers are investigating a report of a vehicle theft on Redsman Place, Edinburgh between 10.30pm on Thursday, 2 and 7.15am on Friday, 3 February, 2023. Enquiries are ongoing."
