Bumbling Burglar Falls From Ceiling 4 Times, Gets Caught
A 50-year-old burglar's getaway plan went hilariously wrong when he fell through a petrol station ceiling four times before giving up and using the door. His comical escape attempt, caught on CCTV, helped police track him down through blood evidence he left behind.
Sometimes crime really doesn't pay, especially when gravity keeps winning.
Andrew Pickering thought he had the perfect escape route planned when he broke into a petrol station in Ouston, Durham, in the early hours of October 21. After climbing through a hole in the roof and stealing cigarettes from the shop floor, the 50-year-old attempted his dramatic exit the same way he came in.
That's when things went sideways. CCTV footage released by Durham Constabulary shows Pickering climbing a wobbly stepladder, reaching for the ceiling hole, and crashing back down to the ground. He tried again. And again. And again.
Four times total, the determined burglar climbed that ladder only to tumble back down, cigarettes spilling around him with each failed attempt. After the fourth fall, Pickering finally admitted defeat and did what most people do when leaving a building: he walked out the door.
His crime spree didn't end there. Before leaving, he ransacked the shop floor, knocking over displays and grabbing bottles from behind the till. The total damage and loss came to approximately £3,219.
But Pickering's ceiling gymnastics left behind more than embarrassing footage. A forensic examination found significant amounts of blood at the scene, which police confirmed belonged to him. That evidence helped seal his fate.
At Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court, Pickering was sentenced to 12 months in prison for two counts of burglary. His accomplice, 46-year-old Daniel Reay, received a community order with alcohol treatment and rehabilitation requirements.
Sunny's Take
Even the police couldn't resist a bit of humor about the situation. Durham Constabulary released the footage with a tongue-in-cheek statement: "It's not about how many times you fall, but how many times you get back up." In this case, getting back up four times only led Pickering straight to justice.
The bumbling break-in serves as an unintentional reminder that crime isn't just morally wrong, it's often remarkably inefficient too.
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Based on reporting by Independent UK - Good News
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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