Clumsy burglar hits IGA

A thief smashed the side entrance doors to Ritchies IGA, Pakenham, overnight on Thursday. Picture: ALANA MITCHELSON

By ALANA MITCHELSON

THE soon-to-close Ritchies IGA Pakenham store was targeted by a clumsy burglar in the wee hours of Thursday morning, who tripped while fleeing the scene of the crime.
An unidentified male offender used a metal bar to jemmy open and smash the glass doors at the Drake Place side entrance to the store at about 4.10am on Thursday 4 August.
Police said the man had pulled up in a white Ford sedan, possibly an XR6 BA model, and grabbed two tills immediately after forcing entry.
Both tills were empty. No other items or cash were stolen.
The store manager said he was woken to a call at about 4.30am alerting him to the break-in.
“It’s never the kind of phone call you want to get and especially at that hour,” he said.
“It could have been worse but it’s pretty frustrating and police have had to cordon off that entrance while the doors are repaired.”
Senior Constable Adam Meagher said investigators were currently reviewing the CCTV footage and he recounted the thief’s awkward escape from the scene.
“He went straight for the tills and fell over on his way out. The footage was quite funny to watch really,” he said.
“The footage is a bit blurry and it wasn’t quite clear enough to identify the offender.”
Sen Const Meagher said the offender was wearing a fluoro work jacket with a hood covering his face and khaki-coloured pants.
Police urged anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.