A family woke up in shock on Monday morning as they discovered that €3,000 worth of tools had been stolen from their van the previous night.

Joseph Sant was about to start his new plumbing business next week and had invested a considerable sum of money in a van and tools.

His dreams were shattered when he saw nothing but his daughter’s pink bicycle in the back of his van –  €3,000 worth of tools had been stolen.

“We spent our savings on buying the van and tools,” Sant’s wife, Mary Ann said.

Joseph Sant had planned to start a part-time job as a plumber to further support his family.

The robbery took place in Fgura, on Triq Is-Serba Punika, some time between Sunday and Monday morning.

Sant woke up at 6.40am to see his van’s back doors wide open. At 7am, he was at the Fgura police station reporting the theft.

Among the stolen items was a brand new heavy-duty power washer, which he bought just four days prior to the robbery.

Mary Ann said the idea to start the plumbing business came about to improve their quality of life and to better support their three-year-old daughter and eight-month-old baby.

“My husband is a very hard-working person,” she said.

“He was planning to continue his work as a nursing aide while moonlighting as a self-employed plumber”.

She said her husband is distraught and in shock and unsure of what to do.

The family are now hoping that the police will be able to catch whoever is responsible for the theft and return their possessions.

They hope that CCTV footage will have captured the theft and aid the authorities in their own investigations.

Between 2007 and 2021, an average of 210 vehicles each year were broken into and robbed, according to data provided by criminologist Saviour Formosa. 

In 2008, a high of 445 vehicles were targeted by thieves while, in 2018, there were 138 cases of thefts from vehicles. Last year, 177 cases were reported.

If you would like to help the Sant family, contact newsroom@timesofmalta.com and we will relay your offer to the family.