A publican has spoken of his fury after police used a battering ram to destroy the £5,000 doors of a pub that had been burgled three times in a week.
Shocking footage shows four officers gathered around the entrance to Stanley’s of Streatham, in south London, before they produce the heavy tool and start heaving it at the doors.
The pub’s window had been smashed three times in a week by the same man, who then stole bottles of spirits from behind the bar, owner Steve Novak said.
And the police who arrived at the scene in the early hours of Thursday morning could have simply reached through the smashed window and used the latch to get into the pub, the 49-year-old added.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said officers at the scene believed the suspect was still inside the pub, so broke in to attempt to arrest them.
The burglar had already fled the scene, however, and no arrests have been made.
‘I just can’t believe it, I am beside myself,’ Mr Novak told the Mail.
‘I can’t stop asking myself why.
‘They saw a broken window that they could have just reached through and unlocked the latch, but instead they took out a massive battering ram and smashed the entire door down.
An alleged burglar broke into Stanley’s of Streatham for the third time in a week to steal booze from behind the bar
Police arrived at the scene 40 minutes later and smashed through the doors with a battering ram
The pub’s owner said the officers could have simply put their hand through the broken window and unlocked the door
But the officers claimed they believed the suspect, who had already fled, was still inside the pub
‘They have just melted my beautiful handmade wooden doors.’
The police secured the door with a wooden board and left a note saying Mr Novak would be invoiced for the temporary repairs.
But he has rejected their explanation for why they smashed the door and said they have not been back to the premises.
‘Nobody was in there, no one was in danger, there was no fire,’ Mr Novak said.
‘They are just morons.
‘It’s going to be two new handmade wooden doors, which will cost about £4,000-£5,000.’
The burglar had previously broken into the pub on two occasions before his final raid, and had left DNA which Mr Novak said meant police were able to identify him.
The Met said no suspects have been identified, however.
Steve Novak, 49, owns four pubs in London and opened Stanley’s of Streatham last October
Some of the damage caused by the burglar and the police
Mr Novak estimates the door will cost up to £5,000 to replace
The burglar entered Stanley’s at about 2.15am, grabbed a few bottles then left in a matter of seconds.
Officers arrived 40 minutes later and smashed through the pub’s double doors.
‘I’d ordered some bars to be fitted over the windows to stop him getting in again as they know who he is but haven’t been able to catch him,’ Mr Novak said.
‘But I’ll have to order some new double doors now too and will probably have to catch the burglar myself as well.’
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: ‘Met officers continue to investigate a series of alleged burglaries at a commercial property in Streatham High Road, SW16, including an occasion on Thursday, 24 July where police forced entry in an attempt to apprehend a potential suspect and quickly safeguard occupants at the address.
‘Officers have been in contact with the business owner to discuss reparations for the damage caused.
‘Enquiries are ongoing and we will continue to update the business owner.
‘There have been no suspects identified at this time.’
