Hapless burglar fails at SEVEN break-ins
AHAPLESS burglar targeting mainly cafes or takeaways tried to break into seven businesses in one night and failed every time.
The crook fled emptyhanded from each place all in Reddish - during his unsuccessful crime spree in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Police have appealed for witnesses and have issued a description of the would-be thief, who was distinctively dressed, after he was disturbed by a resident at one location.
He had tried to use a plank to force open an iron grill at the back of takeaway Delicacy Bar, Gorton Road, at around 2.30am.
But a resident in an upstairs flat heard the commotion and shouted at the man, who ran away.
Police describe him as a white male, at least 6ft tall and wearing a white hooded top with black sleeves and a red bodywarmer.
Earlier there had been an attempted break-in at the Dragon Palace, a Chinese restaurant on Gorton Road, at 12.55am.
But it was aborted after efforts to force off a security grill at the back door triggered the alarm.
Other attempted breakins were discovered as staff turned up to work at Cafe Culture, on Gorton Road, and Corner Cafe, on Broadstone Road. Both suffered damage at the back from the attempts.
Fish and chip shop George’s, on Reddish Road, also reported an overnight burglary attempt to police.
And butcher shop Titterton’s, on Houldsworth Square, was targeted but survived when an alarm was triggered.
Meanwhile workers at radiator firm Castrads, on Kenwood Road, found its fire door smashed but nothing taken from inside upon arriving on Thursday morning.
Inspector Stephen Gilbertson, from Stockport police, said: “There is a pattern and the attempts are being looked at together.
“You can almost plot his path as he went from one place to another. He would have been looking for money and possibly food.
“We will be looking at CCTV from both inside and outside the premises as well as forensic opportunities. All had good crime prevention provision with alarms or security grills, and the fact he didn’t get further than the door at any shows the benefit of this.”
Anyone with information can call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.