Ian White was horrified to discover all the kit he needs to do his job, including a drill, nail gun, chainsaw and hand saws, had been pinched.

The thieves also caused £500 damage to Mr White's van by using a crowbar to force open the doors, so they no longer close properly.

Father-of-three Mr White, of Bedhampton, who runs his own one-man building business, is so furious he has offered a £500 reward for information that gets the culprits convicted.

'I'm devastated,' he said. 'It's terrible. It's made me think about packing it in. I think the people who did it are really nasty.

'I'm going to have to buy all the tools again.

'I won't leave anything in the van ever again.'

He is also getting CCTV cameras put up on his garage overlooking his van so if it happens again he will be able to catch the culprits.

He had some extra locks fitted to his blue Mercedes Sprinter van after robbers tried to break into it a few months ago, but he forgot to lock these last Thursday night, when the thieves struck.

None of the tools were insured. He said so many of his friends in the building industry have had similar problems they have started leaving the doors to their vans wide open so thieves do not damage the vehicles by forcing them open.

Others have put stickers on their vans to let robbers know there are no tools inside.

He thinks teenagers are responsible, and said a neighbour saw a group of youths aged about 16 walking down the road carrying items that could have been tools.

'They have probably sold it all for £300 and if they go to court they will probably just get a £80 fine so they probably think it's worth it,' he said.