Thieves who drove a Land Rover through a shop front made off with around £15,000 worth of farming and building equipment during a six-minute raid.
Raiders arrived at Caerfagu Products Ltd, based between Llandrindod Wells and Nantmel, in the early hours of Tuesday morning, January 21, in the four by four vehicle – which is thought to have been stolen – and a car which is believed to have been a black BMW.
The burglars, who were wearing masks and hoods, cut through the agricultural and building merchant’s outer padlocks and “bust the lock” on the security door before they used the Land Rover to “ram raid” the glass shop front at 2.39am.
Caerfagu Products Ltd director John James said: “We were ram raided with a stolen Land Rover. It was stolen locally – it was used for farming.
“They’d cut the padlocks off the gate to start with and they drove the two vehicles in, which were the Land Rover and what looked like a black BMW.
“They basically bust the lock on the security door at the front of the property and then went through the glass door with the Land Rover.”
The thieves stole around £15K worth of equipment including chainsaws, pressure washers and Panasonic power tools.
Mr James said that while the thieves had triggered the alarm system, they were out of the building after only six minutes – before they or the police arrived.
He said: “They activated the alarm, but they managed to load it all into the Land Rover in six minutes so they were gone before we had a chance to get here.
“We do have CCTV and basically it looked like three people in hoods with masks on. They broke in at 2.39am and they left at 2.45am.”
Despite the shop’s alarms being linked to police, it is thought officers just missed the thieves.
The shop has circulated dramatic pictures of the damage caused by the Land Rover which is described as green with a white roof.
Mr James said: “We’re devastated. It’s very sad that it is happening to be fair.
“Rural crime seems to be increasing, there seems to be some form of rural crime every other day with quad bikes and machinery.
“The problem is, there’s just not enough police in the area. I’m not blaming the officers on patrol but the system means there isn’t enough resources.
“It used to be that if there were strange vehicles late at night they would be stopped and searched, but that doesn’t happen any more because the police just don’t have the time.
“Again, I don’t blame them I blame the system and the lack of resources.”
It’s not the first time the shop has been targeted by burglars as it was attacked six months ago with around £10K worth of equipment being stolen in June when raiders cut their way through the roof.
Mr James said that while they’ve had to board up the front of the shop, they have still been open for business since the attack earlier this week.
He said: “We’ve kept running, but we’re basically going to have to replace the front of the shop.
“The last time we put one in was in 2003 and it cost over £4K then so I imagine it will be around £6K or £7K probably.”
Anyone with any information about the burglary should report it to Dyfed-Powys Police, either through the force's website by clicking here, by emailing [email protected] or by calling 101.
Those who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired can text the non emergency number on 07811 311908.