Do you recognise this thief who got his sticky fingers into the till of an independent cake shop at the weekend?

Although he was wearing gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints he wasn't smart enough to cover his face, probably believing Cakeology in Kingston Road, Raynes Park, would not have CCTV.

But he was wrong, and the shop has shared the film with the Wimbledon Guardian which clearly shows the stocky white man with short brown hair, who appeared to be in his early 20s, calmly walking in to raid the till on Saturday morning.

Laura George, who owns the shop, was showing a customer how to use a cake-decorating product when he sneaked in at about 11.20am and pinched about £140 in notes.

She said: "I was in the kitchen which is 10 steps away from the till with a customer showing them how a product works and he slipped the front door open and went to the till and took the cash.

"I heard the draw close and went running into the shop and by that time he was gone."

Wimbledon Times:

Laura George at Cakeology in Raynes Park this morning 

She called the police who arrived within five minutes, but he head already fled.

Miss George, who has increased security since the theft, said she believed the same man tried to rob another shop in Raynes Park the previous Saturday.

She said: "It could have been so much worse. It could have been the end of the day and luckily no-one was hurt. It's a cheap lesson to increase our security and awareness."

Wimbledon Times:

She said this is the first time the shop has been targeted since it opened four years ago and she will now put up signs to advertise that they have CCTV.

Merton police have yet to comment.

Do you know this man? Has your shop in Merton been targeted by thieves?

Contact the newsdesk on 020 8722 6335, or email louisa.clarence@london.newsquest.co.uk.