Brazen would-be thief caught on camera using an angle grinder

The bungled attempt to enter a business was caught on CCTV – and streamed live to the owners.

A man’s brazen but bungled attempt to break and enter into a business in Adelaide’s northeast has been caught on camera – and streamed directly to the shop owner’s phone.

At 11.45pm on Tuesday a masked man – dressed in hi-vis – was filmed approaching Chargd Ebikes on Lower North East Rd, Campbelltown.

He was filmed using an angle grinder trying to gain access through the triple-bolted front door.

But despite the sparks, he was unsuccessful and fled empty-handed.

CCTV vision of an attempted break-in at Chargd – an electric vehicle dealership. Picture: Chargd / Facebook

Chargd store manager Stephen Ormond said it was “scary to think” how prepared the man was to break into the shop, which contained an estimated $300,000 worth of stock, including segway scooters, ebikes, eboards and emotos.

“They walked up prepared,” he told The Advertiser.

“And they were prepared to leave with gear because there was no car in the carpark.

“But thank gosh he didn’t get in.”

Mr Ormond said it’s the latest in a string of attempted break-ins at the shop.

“You see these things online of ram-raids, so I kind of expected it to happen one day,” he said.

“And in December, we had an incident where our security cameras were cut and we had to have them reconnected.

“If someone wants something, they’ll do what they can to get it.

“But no one’s got into this shop before.”

He suspected the man’s grinding disc was broken by one of the door’s heavy draw bolts.

“You can see when he leaves, it’s not like he’s been spooked by anything.

“So that’s why we think the grinder was broken.”

The man was not able to access the shop. Picture: Chargd / Facebook

The entire incident was captured by the store’s security cameras, which stream directly to the store owner’s phone.

The wild footage was then shared to social media in an attempt to identify the man.

“It’s disappointing, but we were lucky,” Mr Ormond said.

“It’s been reported to the police and tonight, we’ll probably add an extra lock or two.”

Police are investigating the incident. No arrest has been made.

Originally published as Brazen would-be thief caught on camera using an angle grinder