A gang of crafty thieves pretended to be mannequins when a department
store was locking up for the night – before they made away with £10,000
worth of designer clothes.
store was locking up for the night – before they made away with £10,000
worth of designer clothes.
They posed as dummies at a Beales store in Worthing, Sussex, alongside
the real models on display.As soon as staff had shut up shop , they
browsed the stock at their leisure picking out what they wanted.
the real models on display.As soon as staff had shut up shop , they
browsed the stock at their leisure picking out what they wanted.
Sussex Police were baffled as to how the gang – who are still on the run
– got in without setting off alarms at the upmarket store.The alarm
only sounded when they left the building via a fire escape with
thousands of pounds worth of gear.
– got in without setting off alarms at the upmarket store.The alarm
only sounded when they left the building via a fire escape with
thousands of pounds worth of gear.
Beales is fitted with a sophisticated alarm system of sensors that
should detect movement, and would have ‘spotted’ the burglars had they
tried to break in.
should detect movement, and would have ‘spotted’ the burglars had they
tried to break in.
The assistant, who asked not to be named, said:
“It was only triggered when they left the store – it was a very well-orchestrated crime
“They must have secreted themselves and pretended to be mannequins.”They
probably dressed in clothes identical to those worn by the mannequins
and stood there, not moving a muscle till the shop shut and everyone
went home.
“They took oilskin jackets, high-end designer clothes and the like.
“It showed incredible nerve – the store is equipped from top to bottom with sensor alarms and cameras.
“They must have stood there with the mannequins not daring to move a
muscle – imagine if they wanted to sneeze or had an itch they couldn’t
scratch!”