This is Leicestershire --A landlady has described how she trapped a burglar by locking him in her pub's toilets until police could arrive to arrest him.
Vicky Townsend, owner of The Clarendon, in Clarendon Park, Leicester, had been behind the bar when the drama unfolded.
"I got a call from a member of the public who had witnessed this person acting suspiciously in the street," she said.
"I was told he had burgled a nearby school, he had a bit of booty on him and they had watched him run into the pub and take it into the toilet.
"At first I thought it was a wind-up, but when I opened the door of the gents I noticed someone was in the cubicle and heard all this rustling around.
"I thought right they must be serious, so I went and got the key and locked the main toilet door.
"I thought how dare he come into my pub with his stolen gear and think he can get away with it."
Ms Townsend then called the police and waited with customers for officers to arrive. He was going berserk inside – shouting and swearing and trying to kick the door down to get out," she said.
"I think it was for his own good as there were a few regulars who weren't too happy with him.
"But the police were very quick to arrive and when officers did, this guy was still going absolutely mental.
"By this stage he was half in and half out of the door."
The incident happened at the pub in West Avenue on November 27.
Craig Ingle (40) was jailed for 36 weeks at Leicester Crown Court last week, having pleaded guilty to burgling St John the Baptist Primary School, in East Avenue. Ingle, formerly of Kirk Lodge Hostel, London Road, Stoneygate, Leicester, had stolen five laptop computers, a purse and a mobile phone from the school.
Alan Murphy, prosecuting, said Ingle kicked out a door panel trying to escape.
When arrested, police recovered the stolen items, worth a total of £2,000. Two of the laptops, each valued at £350, were damaged.
The purse and mobile phone, belonging to a school cleaner, were returned to her.
Ingle had sneaked into the school at about 6pm.
Sentencing, Recorder Christopher Tickle said: "You were caught almost as red-handed as you can get.
"You've a dreadful record for burglary and went to a vulnerable premises – a school – after hours and took items of value."
Abigail Joyce, mitigating, said: "It wasn't planned, it was a spontaneous decision to commit the burglary.
"He had recently been released from custody, had no money and was struggling financially. He accepts it's a serious offence." Reported by This is 2 days ago.