A MEMBER of a mountain rescue team had work tools stolen from his van while he was out on a job.

Bowland Mountain Rescue Team were called out at around 11pm to reports a 14-year-old with autism had gone missing from a care home in Ribchester.

When the team arrived the boy was found with the help of police and firefighters and had returned home.

However when one team member returned home to Lancaster in the early hours of the morning his van had been broken into.

Four chainsaws had been stolen, which are used by the man for his job felling trees.

Rescue Team leader Kevin Camplin said: "It is very, very sad to see.

"We'd been out on a job after a 14-year-old boy decided to abscond and was out in his pyjamas in a local area field.

"As the team arrived he had returned to the property and we were stood down.

"Then when one of the crew returned home he found his van had been broken into and the window had been smashed.

"There was four chainsaws that had been stolen, they can't have been cheap.

"When he left before midnight everything was fine."

The incident has been reported to the police and they are investigating the crime.

Anyone with any information should contact 101.

Last night at midnight the team were called to Ribchester to look for a missing 14 year old with Autism who had run away from a care home. As the team arrived at the RV team members spotted the male and he returned to the care home. A great result for most team members. However when one team member got home after helping someone else, someone else had helped themselves to all the arboricultural tools in his work van. Please keep an eye out for chainsaws etc in the Lancaster area.

#Callout 0020hrs 11/04/18 by @LancsPolice to assist @RibValleyPolice with a missing person search in the Ribchester area.