Safe-breakers hit Leigh store (From Leigh Journal)

Leigh fashion house raid

9:00am Friday 3rd February 2012 in News

CHEEKY safe-breakers smashed their way into a fashion store in a weekend evening raid at the heart of Leigh town centre.

The gang broke into Internacionale through the fire doors off Back Market Street soon after 9.30pm on Sunday.

While Leigh's busy weekend nightlife continued just yards away they disabled the internal CCTV security system - which they took with them along with modems from the payment tills - and stole display items then targeted the safe which they wrenched from its fastenings in an upstairs store room.

The thieves then dragged the 328 kilogram safe into the first floor shoe and accessories department where they opened it then levered open internal compartments containing around £3,000 cash.

Store manager Kim Lloyd and senior assistant Karen Smith realised something was wrong on Monday when they opened up the premises on the corner of Market Street and Bradshawgate.

"I realised something was wrong when I went to the alarm," said Kim.

"I was shaking and upset and then when I looked around and saw what had happened I was angry. I can't believe the audacity of the thieves to do this mid-evening on a busy Sunday on a pay weekend.

"Police said there must have been a few peole involved to move the safe. Forensics have found footprints but the thieves wore gloves and left behind some red-handled pliers."

Assistant manager Sue Newsome said a tuft of hair was also found in a damaged partition inside the safe and some fashion items had been found at the rear of the PDSA shop.

"Hopefully the CCTV cameras on the street outside may help catch the thieves," she said.

With the tills out of order the shop was closed on Monday but reopened for business the following day.

Police said inquiries into the raid are continuing.