An independent car dealer in Manchester has been forced to pay £60,000 to have car locks changed after burglars stole every key for its stock.
A total of 148 car’s locks have been changed at Cobra Car Sales in Atherton, Greater Manchester, reports the Daily Mirror.
The business has now offered a £5,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of the criminals and a separate £1,000 reward for the recovery of the stolen keys.
The business, which has only been open since last November, was forced to stop trading and has also spent cash cutting new car keys and installing new security.
It is understood the raiders gained entry by smashing a back office window.
As well as the keys they stole a CCTV system and a Snap-on diagnostic machine worth £3,000.
Jeremy has been a journalist for 30 years, 20 of which have been in business-to-business automotive. He was a writer and news editor on AM-sister brand Fleet News for three years before setting up the AM website. For the last five years he has been Bauer B2B’s head of digital helping to manage the digital assets of AM, together with Fleet News, Commercial Fleet, Rail and Smart Transport.
Eugene F Duhaney - 02/10/2015 18:17
Such devastating news for any dealership to face and replace. More needs to be done to mindless thugs and thief's that target innocent business's that are trying their up most to stay afloat in these harsh times. I do hope you guys at Cobra car sales can overcome such loss and get yourselves back up and running asap. Best regards Eugene F Duhaney Managing Director E F D Automotive Ltd