Family garage ransacked as thieves take £60,000 worth of parts

Thieves ransacked a father and son’s Black Country garage stripping cars of their engines and other parts to the tune of £60,000.

Mr Parsons next to huge containers which were all emptied by the thieves

It is the second time in just over a year the workshop in Tipton has been targeted, with thieves again smashing a hole in the wall to get in.

Devastated owner David Parsons, from Tipton, and his son, trainee teacher David Parsons Jr, have been restoring classic cars out of the former Territorial Army building on Sedgley Road West for almost two decades.

Thieves stripped this car of its engine in the latest raid at David Parson's garage

Mr Parsons, aged 68, said: “One of the words I could use is gutted. I don’t do vengeance, I don’t do violence and I don’t sulk about things. I have just lost money at the end of the day.

“They are scum. When they burgled me last year they took most of my tools and I know my son was upset then.”

In May 2017 thieves smashed the building's wall to steal thousands of pounds worth of equipment.

The recent break-in, believed to have happened on June 15, saw thieves smash through the wall to steal valuables such as a Jaguar engine and Lancia Delta gearbox.

Metal containers on the site filled with equipment and various power tools were also emptied by the thieves.

Mr Parsons, who owns The Million Dollar Banqueting Suite in Bilston, said: “We have had countless robberies – cars and all sorts of stuff.

"It is unprotected and it is just easy pickings. Over time it has happened on a regular basis.

"They just won’t leave it alone. We just have to replace all the alarms at the moment.

“Hoists, all the tools and power tools were taken.

“When we go down there we can’t carry everything back up so everything we need is in there.

"A Jaguar XJR-S engine, which is very valuable, has been stolen. They stole the gearbox and the suspension to a Lancia Delta Intergrale.

"I don’t know all that is missing yet and I am still trying to figure it out.

“They ransacked the whole front of the office and they have taken so much out of the building.

Outside the garage, which is a former Territorial Army building

“They have taken two compressors – the one must have been around two tonnes. They have to have some sort of lorry to get that away.

“They are not opportunist thieves they are organised – they planned this.

“We do our own classic cars and we build and sell our own cars.

“It is a hobby and we get a couple of friends that come down as well to help. I have been doing this all my life.”