Burglars Cycle Off With Safe Under Arm
Detectives in Southampton are appealing for witnesses after a man was threatened with being stabbed by burglars he witnessed making off from a Southampton bar.
It happened at just after 7am on Monday, January 9, outside the rear of the Oasis Bar in the city centre.
Three men all described as white and in their early 20s approached the back of the bar which is located in an alleyway off Castle Way. They climbed over a low wall to the building. Two of the men then helped the third climb up the wall andinto a first floor window. Once inside they removed a safe off the wall and caused around £500 worth of damage inside as they did so. All three men then rode off on bicycles, one left first followed by the other two a couple of minutes later. They cycled down Bernard Street, one with the black safe tucked under his arm. The safe is thought to have contained around £2000.
They were witnessed leaving the building by a man who was parking his car who heard the alarm go off in the building. He called police but the men, who are all said to be aged in the early 20s, had made off from the area by the time officersarrived.
The man told officers he was seen by the burglars when they left and the one carrying the safe threatened to stab him if he tried to stop them. He didn’t see a knife but backed off.
Detectives are now appealing for witnesses to the burglary and are asking for anyone who saw the men in the area or making off to contact them. The burglary took place in a part of the city that is busy with commuters at that time of dayand officers believe someone might remember seeing them particularly as it would have been an unusual sight to see a man on a bike with a safe under his arm.
Officers are now in a position to release CCTV of the suspects and are also asking for anyone who thinks they know who the men are to contact them.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Constable Vicki Boddy at Shirley Police Station on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
