A converted camper van worth around £44,000 has been stolen from Wood Green.

Owner Max Bolland, 39, spent last weekend finishing off the final touches on the white Peugeot Boxer; by Sunday - January 9 - it was gone from his driveway.

He bought the camper in September 2020 to accomplish his life-long dream of converting his own van.

Ham & High: Father-of-two Max Bolland spent lockdown renovating his camper vanFather-of-two Max Bolland spent lockdown renovating his camper van (Image: Max Bolland)

The chef borrowed £25,000 to complete the project and used his own savings, working every day for the past 15 months.

Max told the Ham&High: "This is life-changing - I'll be paying off the loan until I'm 50.

"Life's not been easy over the past two years anyway for a caterer, but this is the final blow.

"I'm a positive person, but this has really affected me and my family."

Along with the help of a carpenter the father-of-two gutted the van, before installing insulation, plumbing and an indoor and outdoor shower.

He worked through the winter, shielding from the weather under an old gazebo normally used for catering work.

Ham & High: The Wood Green chef turned his van into a home on wheelsThe Wood Green chef turned his van into a home on wheels (Image: Max Bolland)

"I just can't believe it's gone," Max said. "All the hard work, the love and toil - I made a lot of mistakes, it was a learning curve.

"The idea was to finish it and sell it on, to make back all of the debt I'm now in."

Max, who has two toddlers, said his wallet was also in the van when it was taken, and a credit card had been used around the corner from his Wood Green home.

Ham & High: Max is urging people to look out for his white Peugeot Boxer, number plate NU17OGXMax is urging people to look out for his white Peugeot Boxer, number plate NU17OGX (Image: Max Bolland)

He has contacted the police, shared his plight on Facebook and is now reaching out to ports with details of the van in the hopes it might be spotted.

The only part of the project left to complete, he said, was finishing off the boiler.

"At least whoever's taken it won't be warm," he joked.

If you see the van, with the number plate NU17OGX, contact Max on 07852280481.

Anyone who witnessed this theft or has information should call police on 101 or Tweet @MetCC quoting 2800649/22.

Ham & High: The Wood Green chef worked every day on his camper van conversionThe Wood Green chef worked every day on his camper van conversion (Image: Max Bolland)