7:22am Tuesday 3rd June 2008
By Court Reporter
A bungling thief in ski-goggles used a metal bin to smash through an estate agents in Chessington, and stole a plasma television that does not work.
The screen, used to display properties in the window, is not equipped to pick up television reception, leaving him with nothing but pictures of houses.
Police were called to the Greenfield estate agents in Hook Road at about 12.30am on Wednesday, May 28.
A man wearing goggles and gloves was seen running down the road carrying the television. It is thought he threw a round metal bin from a nearby bus stop at the window before climbing in and collecting his duff prize.
Police forensics teams have taken samples of blood from the window but no arrests have been made.
A witness described the smash as sounding "like the chimney falling off the roof".
Manager Sarah Melbourn has been forced to relocate her four members of staff to the nearby Tolworth office while the clean up operation rolls on.
She said: "It's just the inconvenience of it. At the moment it is a bad enough market as it is."
The branch is expected to be closed for a few months, while they fix the window and refurbish the interior.
Police are appealing for people with information to call 020 8541 1212.
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