Bungling burglar’s CCTV gaffe

HE CASES SHOP ON CAMERA ... AND FIVE MINUTES LATER TRIES TO BREAK IN WEARING PLASTIC BAG ON HIS HEAD

A HAPLESS would-be burglar thought he’d hatched a cunning plan when he put a plastic bag over his head to foil CCTV cameras at an off licence.

But drug addict Gethin Owen entered the store wearing exactly the same clothes he’d been in when casing the shop five minutes earlier with his face in plain view.

Owner Syed Fahrat Abbas had just locked up the inner door of his Onestop shop when Owen got into the unlocked porch.

He lurked around eyeing up the goods on display – including several cases of beer stacked near the locked door – before skulking off.

On his return, with the bag over his head, the 28-year-old smashed the window, sending glass flying into the shop.

The sound of breaking glass alerted Mr Abbas, who came running back into the shop to chase away Owen, who quickly pulled the carrier bag from his head in order to make good his getaway.

After pleading guilty to attempted burglary, Owen, of Caernarfon Road, Bangor, was jailed for 34 weeks.

Mr Abbas said: “I had partially locked up on Friday at 10pm, where just a couple of minutes later the CCTV footage clearly shows him walking up to the front door in plain sight, obviously surveying the shop.

“Then less than five minutes later, he returns with a plastic bag on his head, trying to smash the door with what looks like a brick.

“I was disturbed by the noise and managed to run to the front door before he managed to force his way in, but the whole experi- ence was quite frightening.

“Luckily, we managed to chase him down the street to a cul-de sac.”

Mr Abass, who has run the shop in Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, for 16 years and previously had shops in Colwyn Bay and Llanfairpwll, praised North Wales Police for their response.

He added: “They responded so quickly, they were there in less than five minutes and managed to capture him right away.

“I can’t thank them enough for all they did. I’m glad he is now behind bars.”