A burglar tried to break into Tim Potter's family butchers on Fore Street in the early hours of Easter Monday.

After squeezing into the store's fridge motor room through a hole, the thief attempted to make his way into the store proper.

But the criminal was foiled by a locked door which refused to give way. A crowbar is believed to have been used in an effort to pry open a back door of the building, which did not give.

Tim Potter has reinforced the building after the attempted break in on Monday
Tim Potter has reinforced the building after the attempted break in on Monday (Tindle)

The suspect is believed to be the same person who broke into the neighbouring Coffee #1 store, and the Wellesley Cinema on the same night.

Tim Potter said: “They tried to force the back door in two places. He must have put something in there and hammered it because the lock was hanging off of the back of the door.

“But he didn’t get in. I’ve got three interior bolts on there so he can’t get in now. It’s been reinforced, we had to in case he comes back again. 

“He came in there through a little gap in the fridge motor room, but he couldn’t go nowhere."

There was an attempt to pry open a since reinforced back door
There was an attempt to pry open a since reinforced back door (Tindle)

The break in came as a shock to Tim, who had not seen a break in at the business in all of his 28 years of running it.

"It’s not nice is it. We felt funny all day. Obviously we were shocked so much as anything that someone had got in that little hole. But he can’t get in there again. I’ve been here 28 years and I’ve never had anyone break in before.

“He’s got to be some sort of plonker. It’s a shame he broke into the cinema and took the till away. 

“I think what he did was broke in Coffee #1, didn’t get anything, tried to break in here and returned to get some milk, he must have been thirsty."

The thief left a trail of dusty footprints as he clambered into the fridge room, which Tim says the police have photographed as part of their investigations.

In a statement confirming the attempted break in, the police said: "Police were called after staff opening a butcher's shop in Fore Street, Wellington, discovered an attempted break-in. 

"Just after 7.30am on Tuesday, April 11, staff called reporting damage to a rear door of the property in an attempt to gain entry. Nothing was stolen. Officers attended and carried out house to house and CCTV enquiries. 

"If you have any information, CCTV or doorbell footage which could help the police investigation please call 101 and give the reference 5223083075. Alternatively contact the independent charity Crimestoppers 100 per cent anonymously by calling 0800 555 111, or online at https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information."

On the same night the Wellesley Cinema had an empty till stolen from the premises, after a burglar smashed through the front door with a rock.

The damage caused to the cinema could cost in excess of £1000 to repair. The manager at the Wellesley, Elly Salter, said: "One of the people who has been working here for 26 years said it had never been broken into, it's the first ever time."

The front door of the Wellesley was put through with a rock on Monday
The front door of the Wellesley was put through with a rock on Monday (Elly Salter)

After breaking into Coffee #1 on Monday night, a burglar is thought to have made off with a carton of milk. A police forensics van was seen outside the premisses on Tuesday lunchtime.

A forensics van was seen on Fore Street on Tuesday
A forensics van was seen on Fore Street on Tuesday (Tindle)

Police have appealed for anyone with information about the crimes to call 101, quoting reference number  5223082642 for the Wellesley, or 5223082566 for Coffee #1