He even took the “free cash withdrawals” sign literally by forcing open an ATM.
But Tristram Francis’s luck ran out and it was game over after police caught him hiding behind a machine.
Police went to the scene at Neptunes Arcade, on Bognor Pier, after an intruder alarm was activated at 4.49am on August 29 this year.
On arrival they found the front doors had been forced open and there was smashed glass all over the arcade where machines had been broken into.
They searched and though there was initially no trace of the suspect, eventually one of the officers heard the sound of coins coming from behind one of the machines.
There, they found a man the 40-year-old, who is a prolific offender in the area.
He refused to come out and officers had to grab hold of him in order to detain him.
Francis, of Marshall Avenue, Bognor, was arrested and charged with burglary.
While on bail, he committed a further burglary at an office in Nile Street, Brighton, on September 21, where he stole around £3,000 worth of electrical equipment including laptops, cameras and charging cables.
He was later identified through CCTV images, and again arrested and charged.
Francis pleaded guilty to both offences and was remanded in custody to appear before Crawley Magistrates’ Court on Monday, November 27, where he was sentenced to 14 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months.
He was also required to take part in a drug rehabilitation program for the next 12 months.
Investigating officer, Caitlin O’Dwyer, said: “Despite his clear dependency on drug use, the actions of Francis on these two occasions were completely unacceptable. He caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to an arcade frequented by families, locals and tourists, and the business owners were faced with the massive inconvenience of getting that damage repaired.
“He also stole numerous electrical items from an office in Brighton, again causing a huge inconvenience to the victims.
“We hope this conviction enables Francis to receive the help he needs to get him back on the right path. He has been warned that if he commits any further offences within the next 18 months, he could face immediate imprisonment.”
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