Aylesbury police can't solve crime even though potential CCTV evidence is at petrol station seconds from their HQ

Wendover Road in Aylesbury. In the foreground the Esso petrol station, to the left, the street where the crime took place and behind the Esso petrol station (after the white Broad Leys Pub), Thames Valley Police's Aylesbury HQ

But one victim of crime claims that Thames Valley Police officers have not bothered to collect the CCTV footage, which could help solve a spate of high value tool thefts in Aylesbury.

On January 6, at around 10.30pm, the victim, who we have agreed not to name, says that she and her husband found three men breaking into their van.

The men escaped, making off with £3,000 worth of  her husband’s work tools,  and the couple spotted a Subaru car screeching away from the scene.

This was in a street just off Carlisle Avenue in Aylesbury, around two minutes walk from the town’s central police station.

The couple immediately called the police who they were say were very helpful and came out quickly, explaining to them that the crime was similar to others in the area where a fob has been used to gain access to the vehicles.

The next day on her way out the lady spotted CCTV cameras outside the Esso petrol station on Wendover Road.

She called in, and the manager kindly reviewed footage from the time of the crime, spotting the Subaru car speeding away.

But, despite the garage being just moments away, no police officer is believed to have visited to collect or examine the footage to date.

The lady, whose self-employed husband relies on the valuable tools to make a living, said: “It’s really sad, obviously we realise that they are busy, but we see them often enough on the gyratory with their speed guns.

“The petrol station is only two buildings away from their headquarters, it’s strange.”

She added: “We couldn’t make out the number plate when we saw the car, or from the CCTV, but the police can enhance this type of footage so it would really help. We know they probably have more important things to be dealing with, but it could help prevent another crime, and this happening to someone else.When I called two days ago they still didn’t have the footage.”

A police spokesman said that the force is investigating the theft, and appealed for anyone with information to call on 101. However they said they could not respond to complaints made via the media.