Jewellery burglars caught on CCTV raiding Wolverhampton home
It may have been the middle of the day but that didn't stop three brazen thieves breaking into a Wolverhampton home. However the trio didn't realise that their actions on a Tettenhall street would be caught on camera.
And footage released today by police even shows one of the hooded youths falling over as he tries to force his way into the home in Redhouse Road.
Officers say the men spent more than five minutes trying to gain access to the house by removing a window on a side door.
Once they managed to get inside they stolen a safe which contained jewellery before fleeing the scene in either a blue or grey Audi estate car.
The car is believed to have sped off towards Wrottesley Road after the safe was loaded in to the boot.
The police have also revealed that they are linking the same vehicle to an attempted break-in on Pope Road in The Scotlands earlier in the day.
Investigating officer Detective Constable John Jinks, from Wolverhampton CID, said: "First and foremost I want to hear from anyone who recognises the men in these images. You can quite clearly see the face of one of the individuals and I'm sure someone will know who he is.
"As the footage shows this burglary took some time and someone may have seen the men in the area on the day of the break-in.
"I'd also like to hear from anyone who may have seen the blue or grey Audi fleeing the scene or anyone who saw anything suspicious in the Pope Road area of the Scotlands on the same day."
The footage shows the three hooded youths walk up to the property and try the door in an attempt to gain entry. One of the suspected thieves is then seen peering through a window, looking for goods they can steal once inside.
Two of the men then stand back and wait while the other fiddles with the door, using what appears to be a screwdriver to try and open it up and remove the window.
One of his accomplices even points to different parts of the window, instructing the man with the screwdriver on where to turn his attentions next.
Within a few minutes, the window is seemingly removed and two of the men are seen clambering inside the property, but not before checking that the coast was clear.
The green-gloved third man then tried to leg himself up into the house but fell back and gave up, instead deciding to watch his accomplices from the window.
The break in happened some time between 1.30pm and 2pm on February 28.
Police figures show that the number of burglaries in Wolverhampton is down 13 per cent so far this year compared to the same period the year before, which equates to 172 fewer victims.
Meanwhile figures at the end of last year showed that the city recorded big falls in recorded house burglaries, robbery and vehicle crime.
Tettenhall Regis Councillor Jonathan Yardley said: "This is unusual and sounds like a one-off and it might be that the gang came from outside the area. Crime is down 2.7 per cent in the ward which we are very happy with. The police do an excellent job and the area is generally very well policed."
Witnesses or anyone with information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
