A town luggage shop could be facing a £40,000 bill to fix the damage caused to its roof by lead thieves.

Ejaz Aslam, who runs Aslamtex, in Gravesend High Street, said the store has been targeted multiple times by people attempting to take the weatherproofing material.

The businessman told KentOnline: “We have had people climbing onto our roof and stealing the lead for some time. It has been going on for several weeks.

“I have been left with thousands of pounds worth of damage and it has caused a lot of external and internal damage.

“It has exposed my roof. I have covered it over but it is not a long-term solution.”

Pictures show where the metal has been ripped off leaving wooden slats and pipes exposed to the elements.

Mr Aslam has since covered the building with tarpaulin and tape in an attempt to protect it from any more damage while he waits for his insurance firm to make a decision.

Lead is a popular construction material used on the top of buildings as it is resistant to corrosion and keeps water out.

For this reason, theft of the material is growing increasingly common as it is an expensive commodity.

When it is ripped off, it is not always noticeable until water starts seeping through the building and it can also cause other damage as thieves walk over and potentially crack tiles and break other fixtures.

This means it can be an expensive job to fix as much of the roof may need repairing or replacing.

Mr Aslam, who is also a ward councillor and deputy leader of the Conservative Group on Gravesham council, estimates it will cost around £25,000 to £35,000 to fix the building externally and another £5,000 to £10,000 to mend it internally due to water damage and extensive leaks.

He added: “I am very angry a crime of this nature has happened and people are carrying on doing it.

“They are returning to the area. This is a big problem across the town.”

The incidents have been reported to the police and an investigation is ongoing.

A spokeswoman for the force said officers have identified a suspect and are looking to make an arrest.

Meanwhille, Mr Aslam claims the criminals have also targeted the neighbouring Old Town Hall and the former Debenhams building in the town centre.

Scaffolding has been erected around the Old Town Hall in recent weeks to allow repairs to be made to its roof.

But when approached for comment Kent County Council declined to say whether this damage was due to lead theft.

A spokesman for the council, which owns the building, said previously its appointed contractor recently inspected the property “in respect of reinstatement, repair, and replacement of various elements of the roof”.