A Bristol man has been left almost £2,000 out of pocket after a thief broke into his van using a suspected ‘universal key’.

Dan Finn left his van in the car park of the Wickes DIY store in Ashton Gate for minutes on Saturday (August 19), unaware that someone had broken into the van and stolen his tools.

Mr Finn had been working nearby and gone into the shop to pick up some materials. He returned to the van and realised his tools had been taken. He was unsure what had happened, but CCTV footage from outside the store later revealed the truth.

Mr Finn told the Bristol Post: “I first thought it happened at home because that was the first time I opened the van that day.

"[My wife] rang Wickes on the off chance and asked them to check the CCTV. They rang back and asked if I was wearing a cap. I said no I don’t even own a cap.

“[The thief, wearing a cap] went around to the driver door and did something, opened the van, pulled his car up at the back and started loading into the back of the vehicle.”

Mr Finn said he believed the thief used a universal key, which can be bought online, to unlock his van.

This is the seventh time his van has been broken into and the 28-year-old said he had started leaving his van door open at night to prevent thieves breaking in, even though the tools were not kept in the vehicle.

Mr Finn said he and his wife had even moved house from Soundwell to Oldland Common, hoping to prevent further thefts.

The dad-of-two added: “It’s happened so many times. This is the seventh time it’s happened. I didn’t think it would happen in broad daylight at 9am.”

Mr Finn was forced to spend £1,300 on replacing the stolen tolls and still needs to fork out a further £400 for a new nail gun.

He said his only option now to prevent break ins is deadlocking the van doors individually.

The CCTV footage has been passed to Avon and Somerset Police . The Bristol Post has requested the CCTV footage.