A VALE of Evesham transport firm director is calling for more police patrols now criminal activity has left him with a £100,000 bill - for this month alone.

Thefts of a brand new vehicle and goods from trailers and damage to vehicles at Ron Sinclair's base in Davies Road, Evesham, are just the latest in a catalogue of thefts and damage at R Sinclair Transport Limited.

Mr Sinclair has now written to police chiefs asking for patrols of the area to be stepped up and to his MP Peter Luff asking for his support.

"We have had to put up with a catalogue of crime over a very long time," he said.

"It is very frustrating and worrying and we need to get some help."

He said inquiries about erecting a security fence had not got beyond planners at Wychavon District Council who, he claimed, were only prepared to allow a one-metre fence. "Even a dog could jump over that, so it would not deter thieves," Mr Sinclair said.

During September, £11,000-worth of pharmaceutical toiletries were stolen from a trailer after curtains of six had been slashed in the search for property.

Three weeks later, during a Sunday lunchtime, and within 30 minutes of two directors leaving the premises, a new lorry was stolen after isolators and immobilisers were bypassed.

"We think we may have been under observation from the car park opposite and because of the expertise of the thief, we think it may have been stolen to order," Mr Sinclair said.

The next night, six sets of trailer curtains were slashed and attempts were made to steal pharmaceuticals and toiletries again.

"I think it was the same gang back for another go," Mr Sinclair said. "Windows and steering locks were smashed to get into the lorry cabs but they were unable to deactivate the immobilisers. They attacked a seven-and-a-half ton vehicle to use that to take the goods away but, again, the immobiliser beat them."

Mr Sinclair said: "We are having to look after ourselves more and more by spending a lot more money on security and by coming up with even more state-of-the-art equipment to try and foil the thieves.

"A short while ago Evesham Foods had an arson attack which cost them £35,000 and so it would help us all if there was a higher police presence."

PC Paul Adams, beat manager at Evesham, said: "We are aware of the problems up there and the efforts Mr Sinclair has made to try and deal with them. We will work with him to try and resolve the problems."