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CCTV footage captures the moment a burglar is caught red-handed by police hiding behind a counter in a restaurant he was targeting.
Stephen Clark, 49, was quickly tracked down by officers who found him hiding in the not so secret hiding place on May 31.
Clark had already targeted two other town centre restaurants within the space of half an hour.
The CCTV footage starts by showing Clark smashing the glass on the door of Budare, a restaurant in Sevenoaks, Kent.
A police officer then steps in and shouts: ‘If there’s anybody in this building, please come to the front and make yourself known.’
He soon finds Clark cowering behind the counter.
The moment Stephen Clark breaks into the restaurant (Picture: Kent Police/SWNS)
Clark was discovered behind the counter but did a runner (Picture: Kent Police/SWNS)
He was later arrested and sentenced to time in prison (Picture: Kent Police/SWNS)
Clark then attempts to flee before he is tackled to the ground by two officers.
He was later charged with two counts of burglary and remanded in custody.
Clark attended a hearing at Sevenoaks Magistrates’ Court three days later on June 3, where he was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment.
Police Sergeant James Page said: ‘Clark caused considerable damage to both premises and stole cash from local business owners, causing them inconvenience and placing them under undue financial stress.
‘I am thankful to the officers who responded quickly to the initial emergency call and arrested Clark swiftly.
‘It is down to their teamwork that Clark, a repeat offender, didn’t avoid arrest.’
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