HEARTLESS thieves stole Christmas presents worth £85 in a smash and grab attack – but left £750 worth of expensive power tools untouched.

The gang of four men followed a couple they had spotted loading seven presents, for their three grandchildren, into their van.

Father-of-two Martin Riley and his wife Michelle had forked out £85 on presents from Smyths Toy Store in Halls Mill Retail Park at 6pm on Tuesday December 2.

After putting the presents in the back of his van, which has blacked out windows, Mr Riley drove to the nearby Asda store in Spring Street where the couple popped in for around 10 minutes.

As Mr and Mrs Riley left the supermarket, they spotted four men driving away from their van in a dark-coloured people carrier with the two large Smyths bags visible on the back seat.

Mr Riley, a self-employed workmen and his drill, grinder and tool box, worth between £700 and £800 in total, were left untouched in the front of the van.

The 47-year-old, who lives in Bury town centre, said: “They must have watched us outside Smyths, seen exactly what we put in the van and then followed us.

“As we came out of Asda, we saw an old-looking people carrier at the side of my van with four men in it, and I could see the two Smyths bags in the back between two of the lads.

“I ran up to them and shouted but they shot past me – there was nothing else I could have done apart from try and get in front of the vehicle and risk getting run over.

“It was a smash and grab –they just got the toys and went.”

The men used a screwdriver to force the lock of the small Vauxhall Combo van’s back door, splitting the handle in half.

They were not wearing balaclavas or hoods and Mr Riley said the driver looked to be aged between 28 and 30.

The stolen toys intended for grandchildren Sienna, aged one, two-year-old Rocco and Rome, aged six, include a red robot, pirate ship, large Duplo building blocks and two remote controlled cars.

Mr and Mrs Riley later returned to Smyths and spent another £85 buying the same presents again.

Mr Riley added: “We didn’t notice anything suspicious when we came out of Smyths but we were not looking for anything – we were just shopping in Bury town centre.

“The whole thing was a nightmare, especially because they were presents for our grandchildren, and Michelle was quite shocked.

“I am sure these men will be trying their luck in other places. We will not be the only ones and we want to warn shoppers.”