Callous thieves drove off in a Church End foodbank's van, which was full of produce intended for hard-up families at the time.

The Mercedes Sprinter belonging to Brent Foodbank was stolen just after midnight on Friday (September 10) from the charity's premises in Vestry Hall, Neasden Lane.

Brent & Kilburn Times: The stolen Mercedes Sprinter charity van has a registration number OV15 XPP.The stolen Mercedes Sprinter charity van has a registration number OV15 XPP. (Image: Sophie Lease)

Acting manager Sophie Lease turned up to work in the morning and to find the van gone.

"We looked at CCTV which showed it was just after midnight," she said. "The van was full of stock as well.

"When I got in this morning I felt really violated and shaken. And I know nobody's hurt and everybody's okay but it's such an integral part of the running of the foodbank. It's what gets our stock from supermarkets. It's such a massive blow. We're a charity, it's just really sad."

Sophie is appealing to anybody who may have seen the van, which is fully branded and has the registration number OV15 XPP.

She added: "It was horrible watching it on CCTV. You can't see faces or anything. Everything looks slightly distorted because of the light.

"The van was locked – I'm OCD about locking it – and it's always the last thing I do before I leave.

"It looks like that might have got in through the back but I don't know because it has a front cabin. Then you see they just drive off in it."

Sophie said they are a small foodbank and in the process of trying to find a larger space "but obviously being a charity it's not that easy".

"It's a van that gets all our supermarket collections and how we get all our stock and it also provides us with additional space when we're not on the road, we use it for overflow from the store as well. I hope it turns up."

A Met Police spokesperson said: "On Friday, September 10 police received a report of theft after a van was stolen from outside a property in Neasden Lane, NW10.

"Officers took an initial statement and it was reported that the offence took place on the evening of Thursday, September 9."

Enquiries are ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or to contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.