A second car dealer in Elgin has revealed it was targeted by thieves who drove three cars off a forecourt in a “daring raid”.
Three suspects were caught on CCTV breaking into the office at Elgin Autos near Asda shortly after midnight on Thursday morning.
Despite coming armed with tools to force their way into the premises, they only left with two pieces of vintage car bodywork and the hard drive used to save camera footage in an attempt to cover their tracks.
Just minutes later it is believed the same thieves stole three cars worth a combined £60,000 from Hawco several hundred yards away at The Wards.
Cars worth £60,000 stolen from Elgin showroom in ‘daring raid’
Thieves tried to steal CCTV footage to cover their tracks
Yesterday John Little, who runs Elgin Autos with his father Andrew, urged other dealers to take precautions to guard against the targeted raids.
He said: “It looks like we were their first port of call. When we got there in the morning we could see the door was an inch open – so they had been in. All the cars were still there though.
“They nicked the hard drive for the camera system, so they knew what they were doing, but it backs up to a different system so we still got them.
“It’s not like they ransacked the office. It looks like they’ve jumped the fence, gone in, seen we don’t leave the keys there, put the bodywork under their arms and left.
“All they were interested in was cars.”
Yesterday police confirmed inquiries were continuing to try and trace the raiders who stole the cars from Hawco.
The cars were a black Volkswagen T-Roc SY69 WCR, a grey Volkswagen Golf SX17 BAA and a red Audi A3 SW66 DZY.
Police searching for more CCTV footage of Elgin break-ins
Police say the vehicles were driven off on the A96 Aberdeen to Inverness road towards Nairn.
Officers have been checking CCTV footage from the nearby retail park and other premises in an attempt to identify the raiders, who masked their face during both break-ins.
Detective Sergeant John Pirie said: “We are particularly keen to hear from, for example, delivery drivers, passing taxis or cars in the area and would ask that they check any dash-cam footage they may have from the street from around the time of the crime or prior to the theft occurring.”
Anyone with information should contact Elgin Police Station by calling 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 to remain anonymous.
