Bungling burglar spray-painted cameras... AFTER he was filmed stealing petty cash

The thief rooted through rooms before taking a black metal box full of petty cash from Fylde Tiles on Holly Close last month.

But he didn’t realise the cameras were rolling until it was too late – and officers have now released an image of a man they want to speak to in connection with the break-in.

They also hope a Gazette reader will recognise a car used in the burglary, which police say happened at some point between 11am on Sunday, August 28 and 7.30am the following morning.

A manager at the shop said the man returned three times, even changing his clothes in full view of the cameras, before spotting them and later spray-painting over them.

He also ransacked an office, which staff believe was a frantic attempt to find the hard drive the cameras were recording to.

The manager said the man pulled up in a car (pictured), before parking and getting out to try the doors.

“Then he went back to his car, changed his shirt, and crow-barred the doors,” she told The Gazette.

“He waited until the alarms went off and then got back into his car and drove off. He came back at 6.15pm, turned the lights on, and went through the drawers and stole the tin.”

He returned at 7.45pm when he sprayed the cameras, turned the lights back off, and trashed a back office, she added.

The petty cash tin was found around 100 yards away from the business, on the Red Marsh Industrial Estate.

Those with information can call 101, quoting log reference 0326 of August 29.