Former Mayor of Ripon, Councillor Sid Hawke, is calling on residents to be vigilant, after his van was stolen from outside his home.
The theft of his blue Ford Transit Sapphire van, between 11.15pm and 11.45pm on Tuesday, June 30, came as a financial blow, which has cost him more than £10,000 and almost two weeks of work as a window cleaner – a job he has done for more than 50 years.
Cllr Hawke, a Ripon city and Harrogate district councillor, told The Stray Ferret:
“The van, with its ladders and cleaning equipment, is my work on four wheels and was gone in a matter of seconds. I was devastated and it has caused me days of inconvenience and disruption.”
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He added:
“I want to bring it to the attention of others, because I suspect my vehicle was stolen to order by professional thieves and has probably been dismantled and its parts sold on. “
Ripon’s combined Police and Fire Station
Cllr Hawke said the van, with the personalised number plate Y60 SJH, had been parked and locked up outside his home on the Low Mill Estate. North Yorkshire Police, to whom the theft was reported, told him that the vehicle was picked up on a camera at the Empress roundabout in Harrogate at 12.15am
Cllr Hawke pointed out: “We all need to be vigilant and report to the police anything that looks suspicious. I don’t think I’ll be getting the van that was stolen back, but raising awareness of criminal activity in the area might help others.”
The theft was also reported to Cllr Hawke’s insurers, but while he waits for his claim to be settled, he has bought a new van, ladders and equipment and is back in business.
