Nine-car raid at Darlaston dealership

Raiders smashed their way into a Darlaston car dealership driving off with nine vehicles within 90 minutes.

The gang struck at the Central Motor Company in Walsall Road, run by 62-year-old Malcolm Tranter who now fears for the future of his one-man business.

The men broke in through a side window of the showroom and ransacked the office taking the keys from a cabinet.

They then ripped off a sliding door to the showroom to drive six of the vehicles out and took three more from the forecourt.

Security cameras caught the group driving off in the cars over the course of an hour-and-a-half period. The footage is now being reviewed by police.

Father-of-three Mr Tranter, aged 62, from Sedgley, estimates a £30,000 loss to the company he has run for the last two years, after taking over the dealership which has been in Walsall Road for 30 years.

He said: "I locked up at 4pm on Sunday and came back on the Monday at 9am. We found absolute devastation, the room was covered in glass.

"The sliding door to the showroom was dumped on the floor and another had been bent back.

"There was debris everywhere, the office was in a state, paperwork was taken along with tools."

The used cars stolen were a blue Jaguar X Type (VA02 WMO) blue Vauxhall Agila (DE51 UBN), silver Renault Scenic (DUO 3WGV) two Ford KA's, one silver (RFO3FYW) and another a blue Y-reg, a silver Renault Clio automatic (Y727 SPO) one bronze Vauxhall Astra automatic (Y895 GCH) one white Vauxhall Corsa diesel (W961 5AC) and a Peugeot 106 (X256 FNT).

The Agila, Scenic and one Ford Ka were found by police in a nearby street. Police are appealing for anyone who saw anything suspicious to call 0845 113 5000.