Break-in results in two broken legs

GREG SHAW outside his Yorkshire Street shop with the broken window and thw white canopy clearly visible

A BIZARRE attempted burglary which ended with the thief breaking both legs in a leap from a first-floor canopy may lead to an Oldham shopkeeper closing his business.

Fed-up Greg Shaw (37) has owned Greg’s Discount Foods in Yorkshire Street for 12 years, and in the last three he has been burgled 30 times.

He was woken at 5.10am yesterday after his shop alarm was triggered. He immediately called the police and when they arrived, they found a man on the canopy who was threatening to jump off.

He ignored attempts to coax him down and leaped from the canopy, breaking both legs after landing in the road. He remains in hospital where his injuries are not life-threatening.

Mr Shaw, from Springhead, is now so fed up of being burgled that he is considering shutting up shop.

He said: “We’ve had 30 burglaries in about three years. We are targeted a lot, despite the fact we have a very good alarm system.

“I am considering closing the shop down because of the burglaries. They never get away with much, it’s just the amount of damage they do.”

Mr Shaw said that when he arrived, he saw a man on the canopy of the building shouting to the police and threatening to jump.

He said: “He was threatening to jump and even rolled a cigarette while up there.

“It was when he asked a police officer to climb upto join himthat he jumped off. I don’t know how high the canopy is but I know its too high to jump from.”

Although no money was taken, Mr Shaw was left with a broken top-floor window, and damage to his store room.

Mr Shaw said: “The alarm system is working perfectly and the shop is well secured.

“The only thing we can do is try and secure it further.”