Forklift And Training News

Criminals have stolen commercial coffee machines and equipment worth £500,000 from Fracino

A Witton company has been left devastated after thieves stole £500,000 worth of coffee machines and equipment from their warehouse. The criminals used the firm's own forklift trucks to transport the machines out of Fracino's on Birch Road East Industrial Estate, in the early hours of Wednesday.

The group then loaded the stolen goods on to two lorries which they had brought inside the warehouse. Fracino's is the UK's multi award winning manufacturer of cappuccino and espresso coffee machines.

Chairman Frank Maxwell said the theft would have a 'severe impact on the business.' He said: "It happened in March and they took £500,000 worth of goods.

"It was a gang of four and when they broke in and started moving the stuff with our fork-lift truck. Then they put it in lorries."

A West Midlands Police spokeswoman said: "We're investigating a burglary at a coffee machine company on Birch Road East Industrial Estate, Birch Road East, Birmingham, at around 4.30am yesterday (24 Aug). CCTV footage is being reviewed and forensics experts have attended to examine the scene for evidence as our enquiries continue.

"Anyone with information can contact us via Live Chat at west-midlands.police.uk, or call 101, quoting log 449 of 24 August."

The warehouse stores equipment that is then shipped to South Africa, Canada, Singapore, Dubai, Australia and other countries

This article was in The Birmingham Mail