In the early hours of Monday, March 23, a burglar’s botched break-in at The Party Hut on Ambrose Street, Cheltenham, was captured on CCTV — revealing a cringe-worthy escape attempt that nearly ended in disaster.
The thief smashed through the shop’s glass front door, struggling for several moments before finally sliding head-first inside with hands bracing the floor. After grabbing the till, the crook dragged the cash register’s cable across the counter, causing chaos inside the store.
The most comical moment came during the escape. The hole in the broken glass door was just barely large enough for both the burglar and the till to fit through. This led to an awkward 20-second struggle as the thief tried different positions to squeeze back outside. Despite the clumsiness, the burglar eventually managed to pull free, still clutching the stolen till.
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The Party Hut shared the footage on Facebook, urging locals to help identify the individual and seeking any additional CCTV or Ring doorbell videos from nearby streets to assist police with their investigation. The store confirmed it remains open despite the incident.
Gloucestershire Police reported being called between 1:15 and 1:30 a.m. to investigate the break-in, noting that around £100 was taken from the till. They continue to encourage anyone with information to come forward.
Meanwhile, The Party Hut teased exciting upcoming changes, promising a bigger space and a completely new shopping experience for Cheltenham — a fresh start following the recent interruption.