Builders set up road block to recover friend's stolen van

A builder busted a thief who stole his work van by texting his mates who set up a road block to recover the stolen vehicle.

Andrew Brumby, of Grimsby, was delivering materials to workers in Cleethorpes last week when he turned his back for just a minute, only to have his van stolen.

Thinking quick, he used his girlfriend’s mobile to text everyone he knew to alert them to the theft. Brumby’s phone was in the van.

He also convinced a customer to drive him around neighbouring streets to find the stolen vehicle.

“It was my life’s work disappearing down the road and not just my livelihood, but the livelihood of the three lads who work for me,” he told the Grimsby Telegraph.

Within hours, the van was spotted by a friend on a Grimsby street.

Minutes later, Brumby’s mates created a road block and recovered the stolen van but the offender fled.

“I want to thank everyone who helped me and apologise to the hard-working people who were delayed going home after work,” he told the newspaper.

“But I was not going to stand by and see someone take my livelihood away.

“The mobile phone was a big help to let people know, otherwise they would have just waved at the van thinking it was me.”