Street counts cost of crane chaos

WHAT'S happened to my wall . . ? Si Tec owner Stephen Flowers inspects the damage

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SHOCKED locals are counting the cost after a stolen wagon caused thousands of pounds worth of damage as it hurtled down their road early yesterday morning.

As the Chronicle exclusively reported, the 18-ton wagon, loaded with a crane and bricks, became a missile of destruction when it was stolen from Si Tec Building Materials Store, on Hadfield Street, just off Ashton Road, at 6.40am.

The thief had climbed over the top of the store's roof to gain access to the wagon, which had been fully loaded with the crane arm positioned outside the vehicle so it wouldn't fit through the gates, owner Stephen Flowers said. However, the driver was undeterred and smashed through the gates, ripping the wall apart in the process, before turning left towards Copster Hill Road.

As the vehicle tore along the road, the crane arm dragged along the ground, flipping cars in its wake while bricks flew off of the top.

The driver ploughed on regardless and the vehicle was recovered a few hours later on Holts Estate, although it had been burned out, it was reported. In total, 16 vehicles were damaged. Mr Flowers said thousands of pounds of damage had been done to his yard as well as the wagon which was worth around £10,000.

He said: "We open at 7.30am, I came up in the car at 7.20am and still didn't know anything about the incident but then I noticed that obviously there was a truck missing.

"But I didn't know the state then and I heard everyone balling and crying.

"They couldn't figure out how to get the crane in and have just gone down the street with the arm out.

"I can't believe how much damage has been done."

As well as damaging the wall and the cars in the road, the thief smashed conservatory doors and windows as well as other materials in the yard.

"It's definitely a couple of thousand quid just to the yard, the truck is worth £10,000 because it comes with the crane and we need it for deliveries," Mr Flowers said.

"We're in chaos now, it is an absolute nightmare."

His son Ryan, who works with his father, added: "It is like something out of a 'Transformers' movie ­- it was that ridiculous."

* A 28-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of aggravated vehicle taking but has since been released under investigation.