Attempted break-in with hammer

Hammer-wielding thieves were foiled in their attempt to loot a hardware store in Marlow early this morning.

A desperate bid was made to smash their way inside Hunts of Marlow DIY store in Station Road, but they were thwarted by the shop's reinforced laminated window.

A series of forceful hammer strikes and kicks rained down on the window frame, but the would-be burglars failed to get their clutches on power tools which were on display.

Shopkeeper Richard Hunt, 62, of Pinkneys Green, Maidenhead - who runs the family business with wife Sylvia and son Jason - said he was angered by the attempted break-in, and is now facing a repair bill of more than £2,000.

"It must have been so frustrating for the little darlings," he said. 
"The toughened window did its job and you would probably need to batter it with a lorry to get inside.

Mr Hunt believes they may have been duped into thinking the display case was full of expensive hardware power tools. 
"It looks like they were opportunist thieves," he said. "But we always make sure we remove expensive items from the display cabinet, and behind that there is a metal grill."

Police were called to the scene before 9am this morning and will inspect the window for footprints and evidence before it is boarded up.

Anyone with information about the attempted break-in can call police on 08458 505 505 or anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.