Moment thief crowbars safe in Bracebridge restaurant raid in Sutton Coldfield's Sutton Park

A trio of thieves targeted the Bracebridge restaurant in the heart of Sutton Park, stealing a safe with cash and other items in midnight raid

The moment a burglar crowbars a safe from a Sutton Coldfield restaurant for passing it to an accomplice was caught on camera as the venue’s CEO says they’re ‘saddened by hurtful crime’. A trio of thieves targeted the Bracebridge restaurant in the idyllic Sutton Park in the town in the early hours of Saturday (September 21).

The break-in was caught on camera with CCTV footage showing a thief, clambering through a window into an office area at around 12.45am. The burglar, wearing a black or dark grey hooded coat had the hood pulled up over a cap, and was also wearing black Nike trousers and grey Nike ankle-length trainers, with pink ribbon or string in their mouth.

They are seen going into a second room before rifling through drawers before locating the safe. At that point the thief calls to an accomplice, one of three burglars in total, to pass a crowbar. He then uses it to remove the safe from the floor, before passing it back through the window and fleeing the scene.

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The safe was spotted the next day by Sara Heappey Hanson in Sutton Park. She said she found it 'across the first railway bridge from The Bracebridge restaurant on a small path'.

The bottom of the safe had been damaged with a hole in it. Cash in the safe had been stolen, along with electrical items.

Sam Morgan, CEO of Open Restaurant Group, which runs the Bracebridge restaurant, said the break-in had ‘wider implications’ beyond what was taken. He said: “We are disappointed and saddened that for a small independent restaurant business like ours, we have been the victims of such a hurtful crime.

“Not only does the business suffer the financial implications of this, the invasion and hurt that we suffer as a result has wider implications. As a business we have invested a huge amount of time and money into the site."

The statement continued: “To find someone breaking in, causing damage, and ultimately stealing the safe, our takings and equipment this has certainly left us saddened. If anyone has any information, we ask that you contact 111 and update the police asap.”

West Midlands Police has confirmed it is investigating the raid. A spokeswoman for the force said: “We're investigating after The Bracebridge restaurant in Sutton Park, was broken into in the early hours of Saturday morning (September 21).

“A safe containing cash and electronic items were taken and anyone with information is asked to contact us. You can message us via Live Chat on our website or call 101, quoting crime reference number 20/864625/24.

"Prefer to remain anonymous? Speak to independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."