A burglar is facing jail after police caught him red-handed in a theatre just six minutes after they were called to a break-in there.
Andrew Short, 42, was arrested in the Royal Hippodrome Theatre in Seaside, Eastbourne, just after midnight on Wednesday last week.
Police had been called a five minutes to midnight. On arrival, officers found the front door of the theatre open and a quick search was all they needed to find Short and arrest him. Nothing was stolen.
Short, of no fixed address, was charged with burglary with intent to steal. He appeared at Brighton Magistrates’ Court later that day where he pleaded guilty to the offence.
He has been bailed and will appear again at Brighton Magistrates Court for sentencing on 21 March.
Chief Inspector Di Lewis said: “From the moment we received the call, our officers acted swiftly and had the suspect in custody within six minutes.
“We understand the impact crimes like these have on our local businesses, this rapid response highlights our unwavering commitment to catching criminals.”
