THIS is the moment Greggs staff are threatened with a hammer by a balaclava-clad burglar during a bungled bakery raid.
Vincent Foley, 43, from Manchester, was caught on camera preparing for his aggressive bakery robbery on July 4 hours before he broke into a home.
He has since pled guilty to attempted robbery after being arrested for his attempt to break into the bakery’s safe.
Foley burst into the store in Handforth, Cheshire, with a hammer and chased employees out of the Gregg’s office before attempting to crack the safe.
Smashing his way through a door with his hammer raised , Foley scared off the terrified employees who flee the office through a separate door.
Staff at the Greggs dashed outside to safety as Foley stayed and attempted to rob the bakery’s safe.
With the solid metal box placed below a desk Foley grabs a set of keys from the table in a bid to nab the cash he thought was hidden inside.
After failing to gain access to the safe, even with a set of keys, Foley flees the building leaving the key in the lock during his hurried escape.
Just hours later the robber broke into a home where he stole watches, bracelets, a deactivated antique shotgun and a chequebook.
Foley was nabbed by cops when, a few days later, he tried to write himself a cheque using the stolen chequebook.
Initially the bungling robber wrote a cheque for £2,000 and then doubled down, penning himself a cheque for £4,000.
Both cheques were refused by the bank when Foley tried to cash them, the victim was then alerted.
A week later Foley was arrested by cops in Rochdale , Greater Manchester, the chequebook was recovered from his car after he was pulled over for driving erratically.
On August 13, Foley pled guilty to burglary, theft, attempted robbery and possession of an offensive weapon at Chester Crown Court.
He pleaded not guilty to section 18 wounding with intent and fraud by false representation.
These charges will lie on file – meaning there is no verdict on these charges, but a prosecution will not proceed unless a court gives permission.
Foley is due to be sentenced for his crimes on Thursday, September 11.
Cheshire Police’s detective constable Ash said: “Foley was caught on camera putting his on balaclava so we got a good look at his face and were able to do an appeal to the public to identify him.
“This definitely highlights the benefits of having CCTV.
“It makes life much harder for criminals knowing, or in Foley’s case, not realising, there is CCTV around .”
