A bungling theif’s half-baked attempt to put on a balaclava right next to a CCTV camera led cops straight to him after he tried and failed to rob a branch of Greggs. Vincent Foley, 43, got not a sausage after he threatened staff with a hammer at a Greggs in Handforth, Cheshire, on July 4.
Foley failed to get into the safe in the bakery and revealed his face on camera before he put on a balaclava moments before he attempted his crime. Stills from CCTV show Foley looking up at the lens before he pulled down the garment over his head. On August 13, Foley pleaded guilty to burglary, theft, attempted robbery, and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place at Chester Crown Court.
Greggs is a popular bakery chain whose products have become a staple on almost every British high street, and when changes are made to the menu it can cause major consternation.
Video shows the would-be thief struggling to use keys to open the shop’s safe before fleeing the scene. Later that same day he then broke in to a house and stole watches, bracelets, a deactivated antique shotgun, and a chequebook.
Days later, on July 7, Foley tried to write himself a cheque for £2,000 and £4,000. These were refused by the bank, who alerted the victim. Police in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, arrested him a week later after the chequebook was found in his car when he was stopped for driving erratically.
At court Foley pleaded not guilty to section 18 wounding with intent and fraud by false representation. These charges will lie on file – meaning there is no verdict on these charges, but a prosecution will not proceed unless a court gives permission.
Foley will be sentenced on Thursday, September 11.
Cheshire Police’s detective constable Ash said: “Foley was caught on camera putting his on balaclava so we got a good look at his face and were able to do an appeal to the public to identify him.
“This definitely highlights the benefits of having CCTV. It makes life much harder for criminals knowing, or in Foley’s case, not realising, there is CCTV around.”
