Video shows Gatwick Airport hotel burglar pouring himself pint from behind the bar
The moment a burglar broke into a hotel near Gatwick Airport and poured himself a pint of beer from behind the bar has been caught on CCTV.
Harry Rose forced entry into the hotel and made his way to a closed bar area in the early hours of the morning, while his accomplice Connor Gooderson acted as a lookout.
But when challenged by a hotel staff member, Rose dropped a hold all bag containing several bottles of alcohol worth more than £450.
The 25-year-old has been jailed for eight weeks, and was ordered to pay £50 in compensation.
The court heard how Rose, formerly of Wayside, Ifield, Crawley, entered the Marks and Spencer store at Gatwick's North Terminal at 11.25pm on 20 February this year.
His friend Gooderson, 21, of Massetts Road, Horley, also entered the store, and together they took steaks, cold meats, protein bars, and cans of fizzy drinks, without paying for the items.
Then in the early hours of February 21 they forced open the doors of a nearby hotel, and captured on CCTV stealing bottles of spirits from behind the bar. He even poured himself a glass of beer while he rummaged around the till area.
A hotel staff member interrupted them and when challenged, Rose dropped the bag of stolen alcohol bottles and left the hotel.
He was arrested minutes later inside the terminal by officers, and claimed he needed to steal to pay off debts owed by his father to an unknown man.
Speaking after the case, Detective Sergeant Ian Warncken from Gatwick CID said: “Burglary and shop theft causes disruption for businesses and causes concern for the staff who work in them.
“We work alongside Gatwick Airport and businesses here to both prevent crime and to ensure the safety of the public.
“This case shows our determination to catch offenders and ensure that we reduce the harm and disruption they cause.”
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