A businessman is counting the cost after his firm was targeted by thieves for the second time in three months.

Stuart Male, owner of Portland Scrap Metal Ltd, estimates thieves have altogether stolen up to £17,000 worth of tools, equipment and metal.

After the latest break-in at the weekend at the premises in Wide Street, Mr Male is putting up a £2,000 reward in a bid to catch those responsible.

He believes the same gang is responsible for the burglaries, although this hasn't been confirmed by police who are investigating

Mr Male said: “This could have ended my company. I haven’t got the tools I need to carry on work today. It’s depressing me, it’s knocked me for six and I feel like I want to give up.

“The first burglary cost me around £12,000 and this latest incident has cost me between £4,000 and £5,000.

“I am offering a £2,000 reward for anyone with information leading to the prosecution of those responsible. If this keeps going on they are just going to keep making everyone’s lives a misery.”

He added: “This can’t carry on. I will do anything I can to try and catch them. It’s important these people are brought in and stopped.”

Mr Male believes the gang who struck at the weekend were driving a white Transit van which was recorded on a CCTV camera, however, this has not been confirmed as the offenders' vehicle by police.

The incident is believed to have occurred sometime between 11pm on Saturday and 12.20am on Sunday.

Some of the items stolen include four copper tanks and around 150kg of mixed unsorted copper and brass. Also among the haul was a Stilhl saw 410 with Portland Scrap Metal engraved on it. A yellow DeWalt cordless grinder and two snap-on nut guns.

Various high-value tools were stolen in the first burglary on January 18.

Regarding the latest incident a spokesman for Dorset Police said: “Five men forced entry to the site. Metal was stolen from a shed as well as from a Ford Transit flatbed. A number of tools were also taken from the flatbed and diesel was stolen from the tank of a lorry on the site. Another workshop was also broken into and electrical items were taken.”

If you have any information call Dorset Police on 101, quoting the incident number 55190044398.

n Last week, the Echo reported how the number of metal thefts recorded by police in Dorset rose by almost 300 per cent between 2017 and 2018.

Officers are encouraging members of the public to report any suspicious activity in their community to Dorset Police.