Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Bizarre sight after break-in bid at pub
TEENS were seen fleeing the scene of an attempted break-in at a Dundee pub.
The Occidental Bar in Broughty Ferry was targeted at 5pm yesterday and owner Ronnie Bissell arrived to see youths running away, one wearing a traffic cone on his head.
Ronnie said he received various calls from customers and relatives around 5pm to say there were reports of three people trying to climb in the windows of his pub, which is situated on the corner of Claypotts Road and Queen Street.
He said: “As soon as I got word I headed for the pub, which is only a few minutes away from my house. I had been told by some of my customers who had seen this happening on the very busy main road. They had seen three young lads, teenagers, attempting to climb into the pub through the windows.
“The pub is at a busy junction at the traffic lights and they were doing this in daylight in full view of everyone.
“As I was driving down the road, I saw three young boys who fitted the description I was given and one of them was wearing a traffic come on his head. It was all very bizarre.”
Ronnie said when he got to the pub it was surrounded by police and he was prevented from going inside.
He said: “The police told me I had to stay out until they sent the police dogs in to have a look. I waited outside while that happened and was then given the all-clear to go in.
“Nothing had been taken and there was no damage.
“It seems they had tried and failed to force open the windows, but didn’t manage to get in. Various people had seen them trying to do it, but they didn’t succeed.”
Police Scotland did not comment, but Ronnie said officers told him two teenagers had later been caught.
“For me, the main thing was that so many people were very quick to get in touch to let me know what was happening and the police were absolutely brilliant,” Ronnie said.
“I am absolutely over the moon with the police response and the actions of the police at the scene – they couldn’t have been better.”