Two bungling burglars nabbed trying to nick empty tills in Camden restaurant raid
Thieves caught red-handed – but tills were empty
Two men have pleaded guilty to a bungled burglary at a Camden restaurant after being caught attempting to steal completely empty cash registers. Paul Haughey, 40, from Camden Road, and Jayvan Burton, 41, homeless but from the local area, were arrested outside the venue in the early hours of Saturday, 25 January 2025.
The duo tried – and spectacularly failed – to open the tills, which held no money whatsoever. Their hapless crime was foiled by quick-thinking police and sharp-eyed Camden CCTV operators.
Swift police action leads to early a.m. arrest
Police responded to a burglary alert from Camden Borough CCTV at around 6am on 25 January. Officers from Islington CID swooped on the Camden High Street restaurant and caught Haughey and Burton in the act, preventing them from making off with anything.
“Officers were very quick to get to the scene of the burglary, and were able to arrest both suspects before they could make off,” said Detective Constable Michelle Andersen. “CCTV footage shows them trying and failing to open the drawers of the cash registers. But even if they had managed to open them, they would have found the tills completely empty.”
Courts set to sentence bungling burglars
Both men were charged with non-residential burglary. On Monday, 27 January, Haughey and Burton pleaded guilty at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court.
Haughey is scheduled for sentencing on 18 February 2025 at the same court. Burton’s sentencing will take place later at Wood Green Crown Court, with a date still to be set.
CCTV and prompt police work show their worth
This case underscores the vital role CCTV and rapid police response play in catching criminals before they can pull off their schemes – even when the haul turns out to be empty tills.
