Caught on CCTV breaking into cafe for ice creams

AUCKLAND: A shirtless, bicycleriding burglar blundered his way into a west Auckland cafe early yesterday, before escaping with just two handfuls of gourmet ice blocks.

Demolition Deli manager Poonam Arora arrived to work at 7am yesterday to discover the Te Atatu cafe had been broken into about 3.45am.

A staff member had called her as she was making her way in to let her know. The cafe’s CCTV footage showed the topless thief — who appeared to be in his 20s — made nine or 10 attempts to smash the cafe’s glass door before entering the building.

It took about two minutes for him to break the door.

At one point he did several spins before swinging an object — which appeared to be a bin — at the door.

He then took a quick break and hopped on his bike before returning for another attempt, which was successful.

Once he was inside, the alarm went off and, wearing headphones, he went straight to a nearby freezer, and took an estimated nine or 10 Nice Blocks.

‘‘He tried to break it [the glass door] so many times — eight or nine times — and just grabbed some ice cream and ran away,’’ Ms Arora said.

‘‘It’s so weird, so weird.’’ It was the first time the cafe had been broken into because the only thing left in the premises was food.

They did not leave cash on site, she said.

A 27yearold man has since been arrested and faces charges including burglary and wilful damage. He is due to appear in the Waitakere District Court. —