Police are investigating a string of thefts in Sydney’s west after an electrician’s van was stolen and set alight, and four other vehicles were broken into.

There were six reported incidents all within three kilometres of each other in Penrith from 2am on Saturday.

CCTV footage captured the moment a van was taken from St Clair, with a figure seen pushing the van down Chatsworth Road.

Inside was $10,000 worth of tools belonging to sparkie Salam Rofail.

“Yeah it was kind of a panic attack, and straight away onto police and reported it stolen,” Rofail told 9News.

The car was later set on fire.

In a separate incident, a group of people were captured on CCTV stealing a trailer from the street in neighbouring Erskine Park.

That same morning and just streets away, a taxi was broken into and $130 stolen from inside.

“I’ve been here for 41 years, or just over 41 years, and it is concerning,” local resident Kevin Gloster said.

Coot Place resident Taylor Petales is one of the victims whose car was broken into.

“Glove box and console, everything was ripped out,” Petales said.

“My husband’s wallet was taken, his perfume was taken.  

“It’s pretty scary you know, we were all asleep. I’ve got three kids as well.”

While no one has been injured during these opportunistic attacks, livelihoods are being impacted.

Rofail will now be without work until he can rebuild his equipment and get a new van.

“It’s just really heartbreaking, knowing that we work so hard to accumulate these things for our lives in our career just for it to get stolen and blown away so quickly,” Rofail’s partner told 9News.

Police are still searching for the thieves.