Would-be burglar fails THREE times on same night to break into shops in Sleaford

The attempted break-ins occurred at around midnight Monday/Tuesday at Tablez bistro in Millstream Square, the Italian Connection in the Market Place and Wiseguys menswear shop in Northgate.

Properietor of Tablez, Mesut Palabiyik, posted CCTV images of the suspect wielding a brick in front of the glass doors of his restaurant, smashing a window.

He posted on Facebook: “Does anyone recognise this guy? He attempted to break into our premises, around 12 midnight, please if anyone has information it will be much appreciated.”

Several people thought they recognised the man in a distinctive baseball cap.

A manager at the Italian Connection said someone tried to break in by throwing a brick at his front door but had to abandon his efforts, saying: “He did not have enough time to break the glass. I just saw the marks on the front door.”

Wisguys manager Mark Willis and assistant manager Marie Provost also appealed for witnesses after finding their shop in a state on Tuesday morning on arriving to open up.

Marie said: “I got to work yesterday (Tuesday) and the letter box had a long pole sticking through which someone had tried to use to get a jacket out of the window after knocking over a mannequin. they tried to drag it through the letterbox.

“It was a really long pole and it must have snapped while they were doing it. How he thought he was going to get the jacket through the letterbox I don’t know. The price ticket was hanging out through the letter box when I found it.

“We are really on show and have lots of lights in the window, so I don’t know if he was cold but was certainly desperate.”

She said there was a mark on the glass door and the brick had been left on the ground outside. “At first I thought the ceiling had fallen in as there was such a mess. he had no success and must have run off,” she said.

The incidents have been reported to the police and Marie said she will be taking further precautions to keep stock away from the windows at night.

A Lincolnshire Police spokesman said: “We are investigating a number of attempted burglaries in the area. We would ask businesses and residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour.

“We are investigating the attempted burglary at Wiseguys and would urge anyone with any information to call us on 101, quoting incident number 221 of January 8. We believe this incident happened overnight, January 7.”

She also confirmed a report of the attempted burglary at Tablez too, saying: “It was reported that the shop window had been smashed.

“Anyone with any information should call 101 quoting incident number 63 of January 8.”