A VAN dealership has offered a £10,000 reward for any information that could lead to the return of two rare minibuses.

The 6.5 metre-long Ford Transit buses were stolen from M4 Minibus Centre’s west Swindon yard at the weekend.

One of the 17-seater minibuses, which as a pair are worth an estimated £55,200, had already been sold to be used on the school run.

Jeremy Goodman, a sales manager, said: “It’s very frustrating when you’ve put a lot of work into a vehicle and somebody takes it.”

The theft was discovered earlier this week, when sales representatives went to check one of the minibuses after a call from a potential client.

“We went to have a look and realised we couldn’t find it,” said Mr Goodman.

Further checks showed a second bus – already sold – had also been snatched by the thieves.

“The vehicles that were stolen were very rare and very difficult to replace because Ford hasn’t been building them for nearly a year,” he said.

“We’ve lost a sale there, which obviously affects the business.”

He said the theft had been reported to the police, but because CCTV did not capture the burglars there was a limited amount officers could do.

It was suggested the firm check the CCTV footage from neighbouring businesses and homes. But Mr Goodman said that would be difficult: “We’re a small business and we’re very busy. To send a member of staff knocking on doors would potentially take two or three days and it isn’t something we can do.”

He urged anyone with information about the stolen vans to get in touch with M4 or Wiltshire Police.

Asked for his message to the thieves, Mr Goodman said: : “We’d like them back. It’s so frustrating, especially when one of the vehicles had been sold and we’d spent a lot of money getting it prepared.”

The registration of the grey Ford Transit 17-seat Trend minibus is EJ57 ECT and the otherwise identical silver minibus had plates YM16 WTW. A £10,000 reward is offered for information that leads to the safe return of the vehicles and prosecution of the thieves.

To report information, call Jeremy Goodman on 01793 420888 or Wiltshire Police on 101.