A businessman has been left devastated after two animatronic dinosaurs were stolen from outside a hotel.
Heartbroken Tom Pruen, 41, has said the pain is ‘like I’ve lost my children’ after the two creatures were stolen hours before an event.
Mr Pruen was staying overnight at a hotel when the van with the two dinosaurs, worth £5,000 to £10,000 each, was swiped in the early hours.
The dinosaurs, which have moving faces, roar and even squirt water, are used to entertain people at events across the country.
Mr Pruen, who owns Bristol-based firm Raptors World, said: ‘I’m extremely devastated. It’s like my children have been taken.
The small family business hires out and operates lifelike interactive dinosaur models.
Operators climb into the realistic 2 metre tall by 4 metre long suits and operate the realistic interactive dinosaurs.
Heartbroken Tom Pruen, 41, has said the pain is ‘like I’ve lost my children’
The dinosaurs, which have moving faces, roar and even squirt water, are used to entertain people at events across the country
The two targeted creatures, Rexy and Yoshi, were in a van parked overnight at a hotel in Thurrock, Essex as they were due to appear at The Destination at Lakeside Shopping Centre in Thurrock at the weekend
The two targeted creatures, Rexy and Yoshi, were in a van parked overnight at a hotel in Thurrock, Essex as they were due to appear at The Destination at Lakeside Shopping Centre in Thurrock at the weekend.
One of the missing creatures is Yoshi, a light green velociraptor, while Rexy is a dark green Tyrannosaurus Rex.
Mr Pruen added: ‘The velociraptor is the only one of its kind in the UK.
‘I would get notified if someone tried to sell them
‘The van is insured, but the contents – the dinosaurs and all the set-up for us to be able to run the events – is much more difficult for us to replace.
‘They were probably only interested in the van and didn’t know what was in the back.
‘They’ll probably just dump them by the road – but I just want them returned safely.
‘I’m absolutely gutted’
Essex Police confirmed they had received reports of a van stolen in Purfleet and have said they investigation is ongoing.
