A GARAGE owner has told of the devastating impact the theft of just two cars has had on his business and his mental health.

ACS Autos, in St Paul's Mill in Barbara Street, Daubhill, was raided last year for a Vauxhall Meriva and a classic Ford Escort VRM.

The Meriva was sold for just £300 on Gumtree after Victoria Critchley and Paul Woodcock broke into the garage on August 14 for keys and used a Vauxhall Vectra and tow ropes to take the cars away.

The owner of ACS who did not wish to be named, said that for about two months after the burglary he was not going to work regularly due to feeling intimidated and fearful the thieves would return.

He said: “I felt intimidated in my own place after a couple of months of being burgled. You go in there on your own and you don’t know if they’re coming back. Half the time I was not bothering going because of the mental effect it had on me.

“I lost out on a business through not being there, I don’t know how much, probably a few thousand pounds.”

He is now back at the garage working full-time.

He added: "Financially it has been rubbish, because I’ve been wondering if they are coming back again. It has been a big stress, that someone can break in, damage your property and steal a vehicle.

“You feel like it’s not worth coming to work if people can just come and take it.

“It’s just been a big struggle. My wife has been off looking after our little girl and I’m the main breadwinner. When you’ve not been able to work because of the impact it’s had on you previously, it’s hard to claw the business back.”

Critchley was found guilty in her absence at trial at Bolton Crown Court of burglary and theft of a car. She was found not guilty of the theft of the classic Ford from the garage on the same night.

A sentencing hearing yesterday heard how CCTV shows Critchley and a man forcing the shutter of the garage which she entered and took a number of keys.

They were then seen walking around the car park and looking into cars before they used a Vectra to tow away the Meriva.

Fiona Clancy, prosecuting, told the court how on August 15, the Meriva was listed on Gumtree by Critchley and was later sold for £300 before it was recovered by police.

Officers attended Critchley's home, in Wordsworth Avenue in Farnworth, later that month and found the Vectra parked outside and when they were inside the house found the tow ropes used during the theft.

A victim impact statement from the owner of the garage stated that they had to tell customers that their keys had been taken and that the incident had also lost him money.

In February this year, Paul Woodcock, aged 43 and of Manchester Road in Kearsley, pleaded guilty to the burglary of the garage and taking the Ford Escort and Vauxhall Meriva and was sentenced to 12 months in prison.

The court heard how Critchley has a number of previous theft convictions and is also currently serving a suspended sentence that has a drug rehabilitation requirement due to a long-term problem with cocaine and heroin

Virginia Hayton, defending Critchley, asked that the sentence be deferred so that the defendant can continue to comply with the order.

She said: "She knows this is her last chance. In essence, a period in custody now will be the easier option for someone in her position.

"It may well be that when she is released she falls back to her own ways."

Critchley had previously been complying with the orders and meeting with drug workers.

Judge Graeme Smith warned Critchley that if she failed to comply with the terms of the previous suspended sentence or offends again she will be facing prison.

He deferred the sentencing for the burglary and the theft for three months to see if Critchley kept to the terms.