PO raid fiasco

BUNGLING crooks used an angle-grinder to cut through walls in an attempted break-in at the Meridian Centre post office in Peacehaven.

The raiders smashed glass doors to the Community Hall in the early hours of Sunday and broke into the women s toilet next to the post office at Martin Newsagents by cutting through a wall.

As the thieves attempted to drill through to the post office, staff at the centre s taxi office heard noises and alerted police.

Seahaven Division Inspector Mark Huff said: 'The offenders used an angle grinder to try to cut through the wall of the post office. Even when police arrived the drilling noise still continued.

As officers with a police dog closed in on the crooks one, a 41-year-old man from Peacehaven, was arrested as he fled from the Meridian Centre. His accomplices managed to escape.

Peacehaven Town Council leader Tony Howard surveyed the devastation caused by the would-be-thieves on Sunday morning.

He said: 'They tried to jemmy the doors open to the foyer and when they couldn t do that they picked up a drain cover and threw it through the glass.

This was not the first time crooks had attempted to break into the post office this way.

Cllr Howard said he intended to call on the post office to meet the costs of the damage to council property which was not met by insurance.

'This is the second time this has happened. I do not see why the people of this town should have to pay for this type of thing, he added.

Readers who saw anyone behaving suspiciously in the area at around 2.30am can call police on 0845 6070999.