Clumsy crook hasn't the foggiest what to do next after triggering alarm during Northampton break-in

A would-be thief was forced to flee empty-handed after unwittingly triggering a "smoke screen" during a break-in near to Northampton town centre.

Police rushed to at a commercial property in Wellingborough Road following 999 calls to reports of suspicious activity close to Bostock Avenue in the area on Sunday afternoon.

They discovered that the rear door to the property was forced but the offender or offenders had been forced to make a quick escape after the premises was filled by dense fog generated by a security system.

A spokesman for Northamptonshire Police said: "We received reports that a burglary was in progress at about 4pm on Sunday (July 5).

"Officers found that the offender or offenders had forced open a rear door. The smoke screen was activated and they left empty-handed. No arrests were made.

"We would ask anyone who may have seen this incident or anything suspicious in the Wellingborough Road area or in Bostock Avenue on Sunday afternoon, please contact us by calling 101, using reference number 20000343021."

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