Manchester comedian warns others after laptop with ‘life’s work’ stolen from car in Arndale multistorey

A comedian hailing from Manchester has warned others after having his laptop stolen from his car filled with his life’s work.

Brennan Reece, who has supported the likes of Mickey Flanagan, Joe Lycett, John Bishop and Jason Manford throughout his stand-up career, says he ‘feels empty’ after years of all his hard work and writings has been stolen.

Like many shopping in the city centre, he thought it best to leave his car in a car park rather than in a bay on the street.

But in doing so, yesterday (January 4th), he fell victim to a crime while he parked in the Arndale multistorey.

Upon returning to his vehicle, Brennan opened his car to find his belongings had been stolen. “They had taken all the stuff out. Which is like basically everything that I have worked on, like just everything that I’ve done – which is so annoying,” he said.

The comedian explained how security staff he had spoken to told him this kind of theft is becoming an issue in some covered car parks at the moment. 

“Quite a lot of security people have told me this has happened like 10 times recently,” he said.

“They just sit and wait for people to lock their car, then they press this thing that makes your key not actually lock it.” 

Brennan said it’s not the material items that he’s sad to have lost, but the sentimental ones as he regrets not having backed his work up.

He says he now feels ‘empty’ and doesn’t ‘know what to do next’ as it will affect some of his work. “I mean, it will do because I’ve got I’ve literally got notes and I’ve got zero. I’ve lost it all,” he said. 

He continued: “I’m not bothered about the material stuff. It’s my life’s work and pictures that are important to me. It’s like 10 years of stand-up and scripts and everything.

“Everyone’s got their things that they really care about and for me, my work is the thing that brings me the most joy. It just feels like someone’s got hold of everything that is so personal to me.”

This kind of theft is known as car key hacking. According to the RAC website, it says: “Thieves use electronic car key relay boxes, putting one near your home to receive signals coming from your car key fob through the walls or windows. 

“This first box then boosts the signal to a second device near the car, to trick it into registering the key as nearby and unlocking the doors.”

The RAC lists the preventative measures you can take to stop someone from stealing your key fob signal as follows:

• Make sure all software has been updated on your vehicle
• Use steering locks and other preventative measures that will put thieves off attempting to drive off with your car

About what can be done to help prevent this happening again, Brennan said: “The council should invest a bit more into measures like to prevent these crimes happening.”

“That’s the reason you pay isn’t it? Because you think you’re in a secure location,” he added.

Proper Manchester have reached out to Manchester City Council and the car park’s operators for comment.