Shropshire family firm feeling violated by thieves
A family-run business in north Shropshire has set up CCTV cameras used for photographing wild-life after diesel thieves targeted it four times in just one month.
About £480 of diesel, up to 400 litres, has been stolen from lorries at Benbow Brothers in Lee Brockhurst, near Wem. And bosses Ken Benbow, 61, and Les Benbow, 65, said they feel 'violated'.
On the last occasion, October 17, the brothers managed to capture images of two thieves tampering with three of the firm's five lorries between 2am and 3am.
Ken said he was concerned what effect the thefts would have on the timber merchants, haulage and tree care company, which employs 14 people.
He said: "We work so hard to keep the company going and keep everybody employed. It is so frustrating.
"They cut the diesel pipes so when our lorry driver was about to leave at 6am he was out of diesel and by the time we got it sorted he left at 10.30am.
"It is half a day's work lost and customers let down. People won't tolerate that if they are expecting a delivery.
"The police have now been driving by, they come twice a night," he added. "We have taken it in turns spending nights in the car in the yard to keep watch too.
"We are having proper CCTV installed and we have moved the smaller vehicles to a safer area. I feel so bad about it, we just feel violated and let down. We just want to send the message to leave us alone."
Richard Ewels, for West Mercia Police, said a number of incidents had been repor-ted by Benbow Brothers in the last month.
He said: "On October 17 it was reported that three vehicles had been tampered with overnight. The fuel line had been cut on a Volvo articulated lorry and the tops taken off two other lorries. The police are investigating and extra patrols have been operating in that area." Call police on 101 if you have any information about the thefts.
