A builder has been left ‘devastated’ after tools worth around £3,000 were stolen from his van while he was bedbound recovering from a motorcycle crash.
Luke Copping, of Rougham, was admitted to hospital after he came off his motorcycle on a track in Westley on June 25.
The 32-year-old, who used to ride motocross competitively, was admitted to intensive care on June 27 for nine days before being sent home, where he is still mostly bedbound, recovering with broken ribs and on heavy medication.
He believes his tools, which he uses for work as a builder, were stolen on July 1 from his van in Hemingstone while he was in intensive care.
After being told he will need to spend the next six to eight weeks in bed, and six months before he is fully recovered, Luke said he was ‘devastated’ at what has happened.
“This is the third time I’ve had my tools stolen; this time it’s ridiculous. I started off as maintenance 10 years ago and now I’m starting to do little developments. The idea was for the next five years to start extensions and possibly new builds. It’s taken me 10 years to get where I am, and what’s happened is a massive step back. I now haven’t got the tools to build what I need to build on site at the moment.”
As well as setting him back with his building work, Luke has also had to put a stop on plans to take up motocross coaching.
He used to ride competitively and has won competitions in the past, including the British Two-Stroke BYMX 250cc British Motocross Championship back in 2010.
“I bought a bike this year just so I could get into coaching, obviously I’ll now have to sell it to cover the cost of the tools,” he said.
Luke posted an advert on Facebook last Monday afternoon appealing for information on the whereabouts of his tools, and said ‘he can’t believe’ the response he’s had. Some told him to set up a fund-raising page to cover the cost of a new set of tools.
Despite the suggestions, he says he feels uncomfortable asking people for help during a time when everyone is struggling.
“I’m not one for taking money from people, there’s worse off people out there than me, I wouldn’t want to do that. It’s hard with what people are going through with corona and I just feel a bit selfish,” he said.
Luke contacted Suffolk police last Monday to report the incident. Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information is asked to call 101 quoting CAD 230 of July 6.