A DELIVERY man who lost his livelihood after his van was stolen while he dropped off a parcel is appealing for the public's help to find it.

Mark Burke parked his silver Vauxhall Movano in the driveway of a house in Theydon Park Road, Theydon Bois, at about 1pm on November 28.

Realising his delivery was for next door, he made his way to the neighbouring property, leaving his keys in the van.

"Literally it must have been seconds," said Mr Burke, 53, who lives in Basildon.

"I heard my van starting and somebody was driving it away."

The van contained Mr Burke's driving licence, wallet, car and house keys.

"Where it happened, I never expected it in my life," he said.

"Everywhere I go I always take the keys out."

Mr Burke, who is a grandfather of 10, had recently finished paying for the van.

He has now lost his job as a sub-contractor for TNT after admitting leaving the keys in the vehicle and the door unlocked.

"It was a lovely van - old, but it was mine," he said.

"I don't even mind if it was found and it was damaged."

Mr Burke reported the theft to police immediately, but said he had since been told the case had been 'filed'. He is now calling on locals to keep an eye out for the vehicle.

"I feel as if the police aren't doing anything," he said.

"It could be parked in some side road where people drive past it all day long."

A spokesman for Essex Police said the vehicle's details had been circulated to all officers on duty at the time and placed on the automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) system.

He added: "All lines of enquiry were exhausted in this investigation.

"CCTV footage was examined but the vehicle has not yet triggered an ANPR camera."

The thief was wearing a black wool hat and thick-framed black glasses.

The van had the license number AV55 FTU, but the plates may have been changed. Anyone who sees the van or has information about its whereabouts is asked to call Mr Burke on 01268 461788 or police on 101.