A CHARITY has been hit by thieves who used a stolen van to ram their way through a gate.

Staff at Bolton Community Transport and Furniture Services (BCTFS) arrived at the charity’s warehouse in Lecturers Close to find the gates badly damaged and wide open.

The charity provides furniture to people who need it and also offers community transport.

At first, staff did not realise one of the vans was missing but soon saw that a van had gone and it seemed to have been stolen.

CCTV from a premises across the road shows the van being rammed through the gate to break the lock and the chain before driving off. Diane Firth, general manager at BCTFS, said filings were found on the ground, suggesting that the lock of the van had been drilled before it was taken.

Mrs Firth said: “It causes all sorts of issues.

"We will get the insurance but it won’t be the amount we need so that we can purchase one like the one that was stolen.

“It is going to cause us some financial issues as a charity. Like a lot of charities in Bolton we do have financial problems.”

As well as the financial implications of the thefts, it impacts what work the charity can do.

Mrs Frith added: “Because it has been taken we can’t help the number of people we would normally help.

“We are probably going to end up spending thousands of pounds that we don’t have. It is a difficult situation all round.”

The charity’s logo is on the side the van and anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101.