THIS is the man police want to speak to after a thief stole a workman’s tools from a van.

The theft took place at around 12.15pm on Friday, January 28, while the contractor was working at a house in Chandler’s Green, near Mattingley.

Someone jumped over a pair of locked gates and removed £2,500 worth of DeWalt and Hitachi drills from the rear of the workman’s van.

The suspect then got into a light-coloured Saab, driven by another man, and headed towards the A33.

Officers have now released an efit image of the man, who is said to be around 6ft tall and wore a hooded top and jeans.

PC Kerry Lawrence, from the Basingstoke Targeted Patrol Team, said: “This appeared to be an opportunistic thief who struck in a very quiet rural area.”

She added that van owners should keep their vehicles secured when unattended, tools and equipment should not be left unattended but should be security marked, and that vans should have alarms fitted.

Anyone with information can contact PC Lawrence at Basingstoke police station on 101 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.