A businessman says he no longer feels safe in his city centre offices after they were targeted by a brazen burglar during work hours.
The thief broke into the premises of TxtSync – a provider of text messaging services to other small businesses – on a Monday lunchtime.
Leicestershire Police have this week released CCTV images of the suspect and appealed for help from the public to identify him.
Warren Blanchard-Doyle, 35, co-founded the business in 2016 before it moved to its current base on the third floor of the Phoenix Yard building, in Upper Brown Street, next to the Sue Townsend Theatre, off Newarke Street, a year ago.
He said: “What gets me is this happened in broad daylight – at 12.10pm on a Monday lunchtime. The thief must have been scoping out the building beforehand because it looks like he targeted us.
“I spoke to other business owner and workers afterwards and no-one reported seeing anything suspicious or a stranger in the building – he just went straight for us – and he had the tools he needed to get in too.”
Mr Blanchard-Doyle said the culprit managed to prise open the main door to the offices before overcoming a magnetic lock on an inner doorway leading into the main office.
He said: “I don’t think it was opportunist. To get through two security doors takes some planning at least.
“It’s strange really though because the thief didn’t seem to worry about being seen and wasn’t wearing any gloves.”
The raid took place on Monday June 3, however, details have only now been released by police.
Mr Blanchard-Doyle said: “They stole a television used for presentation from my office and a MacBook computer which had about eight or nine weeks’ worth of work on it.
“We’re only just catching up.
“He must have been looking for items he could sell quickly because he didn’t even enter the room where our computer servers and more expensive equipment is stored – it was an in and out job.
“I visited most of the pawn shops in the city centre to warn them we’d been targeted.
“Funnily enough, a construction worker nearby said he’s seen a man carrying a TV and computer in the street – but people don’t want to get involved these days.”
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He added: “The value of the stuff stolen was about £1,000. Unfortunately, I didn’t have think to get contents insurance as we’re on the third floor. I thought we’d be safe.
“The main thing for me is that no-one was hurt.
“The offices were empty on the day as we were preparing for a large job. But what if someone had been in or came back from their lunch and disturbed the thief – what then?
“I don’t really feel safe anymore.”
Mr Blanchard Doyle is urging anyone who recognises the man pictured in the CCTV images released by police, or who has any other information relating to the crime, to contact the police.
A spokesman for Leicestershire Police said: “If you recognise the man in the image or have any suspicions about who he may be please get in touch."
Anyone with information is asked to private message the force using Facebook or call the 101 police number.
