A MAN has been jailed for stealing £4,000 from a Woking shop safe after hiding for five hours on the premises until it closed.

Wesley Kevin Davison went into the shop through a fire door on 1 December last year, having been spotted loitering outside.

A Surrey Police spokesman said: “When the shop closed, Davison broke into the locked office and violently smashed open a safe taking £4,000.

“Davison then broke out of the shop, terrifying members of staff who had rushed to the premises after receiving a security alert.”

He was arrested after CCTV showed a man matching his description going into Woking Library earlier in the day.

“Davison used the communal computers and logged on using a library card in his own name enabling officers to link him to the burglary,” the spokesman said.

Davison, 41, of Cowley Avenue, Chertsey, pleaded guilty to the offences, but disputed some of the facts. The case was decided by a Newton hearing, where the judge hears evidence and decides which version of events to sentence on. The judge found against Davison, who was sentenced to 30 months’ custody at Guildford Crown Court on 23 March.

PC Kat Sandys, who oversees burglary investigations for the Surrey Police west division’s proactive investigation team said: “This was not only something that was clearly pre-planned, but was also really frightening for the brave staff members who quickly responded during the night to a security alert about their place of work.

“A great team effort by the investigating officers and means another dangerous criminal is off the streets.”