A devastated metal worker has been forced to close his “dream” business after thieves raided his Buckie workshop.
Adam Desmier set up Moray Metals Ltd in 2013 after leaving a career as a project engineer to realise his ambition of being his own boss.
Mr Desmier has built up the architectural iron works company on March Road over the last two years — finding security in buying all his tools outright and only adding to his inventory when he could afford it.
However, thieves targeted the building overnight on Monday and stole a range of kit including drills, welders and a welder generator with an estimated value of more than £7,000.
It is the second break-in at the business within the past year.
Mr Desmier said: “When I got to the workshop yesterday morning, I looked at my cameras and noticed they were bent up into the sky, but the door was locked and the shutter was down.
“It all looked normal. When I turned the key to open the workshop up, I was stood there in total shock. There was nothing there. They’d taken everything.
“They knew what they wanted, and, obviously, there had to have been more than one person. The Honda generator is a beast. It would have taken at least two people with a van involved.”
It is thought thieves may have entered the building through the roof-top window after traces of plasterboard were found on the floor and footprints and loose screws were found on the roof.
A police spokeswoman said inquiries into the incident were ongoing, with witnesses currently being sought.
Mr Desmier said he felt forced to wind the company up because he could not face the thought of having to start again from scratch.
He said: “I’m devastated. I work hard for two years, and these people have taken everything I have built up and saved and lived for.
“Someone had it in for me and took it all away in one night.
“Now, I have to go back to customers and repay deposits, and I’m going to be a few thousand pounds out of pocket just paying people back, not to mention the thousands of pounds worth of stuff they took.
“They don’t realise I have two autistic boys at home who my wife homeschools.
“Trying to make a living is hard enough, but I decided to leave my job as a project engineer to follow my dream of doing creative architectural work, but, after this, Moray Metals is finished.
“We are closing the company up on April 18. It’s broken me. I can’t work that hard for two years for it to just be taken away. I couldn’t do that again.”