CCTV: Salford RSPCA Van Theft

Police are investigating after a thief robbed a mini handheld computer from an unlocked RSPCA van.

CCTV footage from a fire engine that shows a man stealing a PDA from an RSPCA van has been released.

At about 10.15am on Wednesday 25 January 2012, the RSPCA inspector Danni Jennings was with officers from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service rescuing a cat from up a tree on Bramley Street. While she was busy, the robber went inside the van, stole the PDA and then left.

The footage shows the offender is white and was wearing a grey tracksuit with its hood up.

Broughton Crew Manager Martin Ingham said: “The RSPCA came down to take care of the cat, which had been stuck up a tree for three days. We got it down safely, but it's disgusting that the RSPCA lady who had just come down to do her job had some vital equipment stolen from her car. Our fire engine CCTV has been passed to police."

The victim, RSPCA inspector Danni Jennings, said: “I was literally 30 feet away from my van when it happened, but of course my attention was focused on the cat we were busy rescuing from a tree.

“It's shocking that someone would steal from a van clearly labelled with the name of a charity.

“They probably thought it was a phone but it is in fact an operational radio which is completely worthless to anyone outside of the RSPCA. It is password protected and now it has been locked too, it won't do anything at all.