A business owner has spoken of his devastation after his new showroom was targeted by thieves, leaving behind a trail of damage.

Greg McGough, of GMC Stoves, is appealing to the public to help catch the burglars who stole goods worth up to £30,000.

Other businesses were also targeted.

The showroom, on the Townfoot Industrial estate, Brampton, was raided during Sunday night or Monday morning.

The thieves, who used a crowbar to force open a door, stole about 15 high-end wood burning stoves, with a total value of between £18,000 and £30,000. 

To get them out they dragged them across the recently-laid floor, causing damage to the new showroom.

At least four other units on the industrial estate were also targeted the same night. 

Border Van Hire had one its vehicles stolen and they believe it was then used to transport the stoves.

Mr McGough believes that whoever carried out the raid came prepared and is urging anyone who was in the Brampton area on Sunday night to report any suspicious activity to the police.

The other businesses targeted were:

  • SHC Webb, where entry was forced and £15 cash stolen
  • Townfoot 4x4, where tools were stolen
  • Omega Music, where someone attempted to break into a container.

Chris McAulay, of Border Van Hire, checked his records after hearing about the thefts and discovered one of his vans was missing.

He checked his CCTV and said there is footage showing a large group of people arriving on the estate. 

Police have since contacted him to say the van has been found in the West Bromwich area.

He believes it was used to transport the stoves from GMC.

Mr McGough said that they were just in the process of putting the finishing touches to the showroom.

"The door is smashed in. These stoves aren't easy to lift. The bigger ones - the really high-end ones - take two of us to move. The way they have dragged them has cut up all the flooring.

"It's tough. We have built this business up ourselves and something like this, it just feels like a real kicking.

"The stoves themselves were something like 1,600 kilos in weight so you would need a Transit van or probably bigger. They definitely couldn't have taken them by car. Quite a few were about 4ft tall.

"There were other things, the computer and smaller items, that they didn't touch. We are hopeful they will catch them."

Mr McGough is appealing for anyone with information to contact the police and offering a "substantial reward" for information that leads to the safe return of the stoves - some of which are display models only, so would be unsafe to install and use, pumping out carbon monoxide.

He added that they have the serial numbers of all the stolen items so are hopeful officers will track them down.

In the meantime he added that they are working to meet existing orders. 

"Our customers have been very understanding but it has caused us huge disruption. But we are busy and are trying to get on with business as usual as much as possible," he added.

Mr McAulay is also hopeful of getting his van back, otherwise he said he would have to shell out on insurance costs.

He added: "It's all a bit of a sickener. It's hard enough trying to make a living in the current climate. 

"Losing a van impacts directly on our customers, who have booked it out. This is our livelihood at the end of the day."

Anyone with information about the thefts should call police on 101.