April 2020

Cars and tools stolen A New Forest garage had alarms torn from the walls, as thieves made a clean getaway with thousands of pounds worth of tools and three vehicles too The raid, on Pier Garage based in Lymington, Hampshire was discovered when a member of the team arrived to open up for what he thought would be a normal Saturday morning in March. Owner Peter Adams told the Advertiser and Times that that doors and locks were smashed by the thieves so they could get into the building: “All our toolboxes were jimmied open. Tools, batteries and other equipment have been taken, so much in fact that we are still haven’t worked out exactly what has gone missing. The total, including the vehicles, runs into the tens of thousands. It’s just sickening.” The three stolen cars had been parked outside and were due to be picked up by customers on the Saturday. “We had just fitted a new gear box and tyres to a VW Golf,” continued Peter Adams. “They also stole a Fiat Strada we had just finished work on, and pick-up truck that someone parks here every day. The office was completely ransacked. They must have been here for some while as they opened a stack of envelopes containing invoices to see if there were any cheques or cash in them. They opened up two metal doors like they were sardine cans and shinned up drainpipes to get to the alarms which they threw to the ground after they ripped them off the walls. The CCTV monitors were in a cupboard in a storeroom with the control board of the alarms. The board was smashed off and the recorder taken.” He added: “I’ve been here since 1982 and nothing like this has ever happened to me.” £100,000 for BEN and 100,000 members in IMI centenary As part of its 2020 centenary commemorations, the IMI is aiming to raise £100,000 for automotive industry support charity Ben, while also setting itself the goal of increasing its membership to 100,000 by the end of the 2020/2021 financial year. Current membership is 72,000. The IMI’s centenary fundraising schedule kick-started at the IMI Centenary Dinner in March. To heighten membership, from 2020 all IMI accredited Apprenticeship at Work scheme employees will be eligible to join the industry body before graduating. Commenting on the centenary and its goals, IMI CEO Steve Nash said: “The IMI has always been about boosting public confidence and looking after our members. That’s why it was so important to us to do something incredibly positive to celebrate our centenary. What could be better than fundraising for the charity which supports automotive industry people with invaluable health, wellbeing and care services?” Steve added. “Back in the 1920s our major role was to boost public confidence, quite literally, away from horse-power by setting and maintaining the highest standards for the automotive sector. Now, as technology advances and there is a need for a wholesale move to electrification, our role in developing and maintaining a relevant, competent and professional workforce, with the respect of the driving public is as important as ever.” Further details on the IMI’s fundraising plans, will be announced in due course. MONTH 2017 AFTERMARKET 3 www.aftermarketonline.net 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 (3 ,).(* ),2- .+213 ,-,).(* ./.1" .),(..- ( Y AWA * .2/.12 ..,2 2 12 1 2 . .. ).( 321 "/ . 12.-1.1 2 2. ())1. .+./ + 12,) + 3 . /21. -,+2 *)(( '&'' %&$ $%#% )-( .,! -1- )(-/. 2 (/( 1- ), 2/ APRIL 2020 AFTERMARKET 5