Hapless burglars stare into CCTV camera lens during a Christmas Day break in at a barber shop
Between £15,000 and £20,000 of property was stolen from the barbers over the festive period
A BUNGLING burglar was caught unwittingly staring at a CCTV camera for several seconds - before saying to her partner in crime 'what is this?'
The man then grabs a computer and rips it off the desk during a Christmas Day break-in at a barbers.
Owner Luca Ashbee has posted the footage online in a bid to catch the two perpetrators, a man and a woman, which has already been seen more than 40,000 times.
The culprits struck The Barbers in Bournemouth, Dorset not once but twice on the same day.
They first broke in at lunchtime then came back for another shot in the night and forced entry through the back door of the basement.
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Mr Ashbee, 32, who has just had a baby son, believes between £15,000 and £20,000 of property was stolen.
The pair stole a large Mac computer, £1,500 cash that was in the till, hair products and a large amount of tools which were stored downstairs where refurbishments are taking place.
Mr Ashbee said: "It's just incredibly brazen. They broke in in the middle of the day and then came back at night.
"They would have had no idea if we would have found out about the earlier break-in.
"I didn't know this was the sort of thing burglars did. I thought they were quick in, quick out, disappear into the night.
"My son Oscar was born three days before Christmas. It would be incredibly hard to dampen my mood, even with a burglary at the moment, because there are bigger things in life than a few tools and some stock.
"But this does seem unfair because it's Christmas time and yet they have helped themselves to other peoples' stuff.
"I very much would like police to get their hands on them, to have the book thrown at them and for them to come to justice."
Mr Ashbee says he noticed the salon, which opened in October 2015, had been targeted when he drove past on Boxing Day.
He checked the CCTV cameras at the business, which shows the pair rifling through the salon and their voices are clearly audible.
He then walks round the desk and pics up the computer screen with something in his hand so he doesn't leave fingerprints.
Dorset Police are investigating the burglary and forensic officers attended the scene on Tuesday to collect evidence.
Mr Ashbee has passed on to the police a number of leads he has received from posting the footage on social media.
He added: "It is quite a warming feeling that the community has come together like this to try and help. It has been a fantastic response, complete strangers messaging me and wishing me luck.
"Police say they've had a decent amount of information."
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