Burglary at a vape warehouse in Washington

Warehouse burglary in Washington

According to an article published on 29 August 2025 by Liverpoolecho, a gang of four men broke into a warehouse on the Swan Industrial Estate in Washington, Tyne and Wear. The incident, which took place in the early hours of February 24, resulted in the theft of approximately £46,000 worth of electronic cigarettes.

Liverpoolecho reports that the business owners were alerted to the break-in by their security company at around 4:20 am. Upon arrival, they discovered the men loading boxes into vans. As the suspects fled the scene, one van was driven directly at a business owner, who narrowly avoided injury by jumping out of the way. In addition to the stolen stock, the burglary caused roughly £3,600 in damage to the building.

Police later located one of the vans in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, where the four defendants were arrested. The men, who had no prior criminal convictions in the UK, subsequently received suspended prison sentences after admitting to the burglary. A second van involved in the incident was never recovered. Business owners are encouraged to ensure their alarm systems are regularly tested and linked to a rapid-response security service.

Source : Liverpoolecho