'It was like something from a Benny Hill film': Shop owner describes moment manager 'stole' sofas from back of thieves' getaway van - after they forgot to close the doors

The bungled robbery took place at Sofa King, Northampton last Saturday

CCTV shows pair of men brazenly loading two brown £400 sofas into van

Store manager pulls sofas back out of van after they left doors open

Store owner says their prices are low so they must have been desperate

A shop owner has described the hilarious moment thieves fled empty-handed when an employee hauled two stolen sofas out of their getaway van - after they forgot to close the doors.

Dramatic CCTV footage from a furniture showroom shows a pair of men brazenly loading two brown £400 settees into a white transit in broad daylight.

Seconds before the intruders sped off brave store manager Justin Hallett, 37, leapt through the open backdoors and snatched the sofas back.

Scroll down for hilarious video.

Brazen: Dramatic CCTV footage from a furniture showroom shows the thieves loading two brown £400 settees into a white transit in broad daylight

Store owner Mark Kypta, 42, said the footage he captured was like 'something out of a Benny Hill film'.

He said: 'We couldn’t believe their audacity of just coming round the back of the store at our busiest time and brazenly loading the van with our sofas.

'Our prices aren’t exactly high, so they must have been pretty desperate. Luckily Justin, not even thinking of his own safety, ran out and jumped into the back of the van and got the sofas back.

'I think he’s in line for a Christmas bonus now. He was pretty brave. The whole footage looks like it should have a Benny Hill soundtrack to it. It’s a bit bizarre.

'But on a serious note, we want these guys caught because we don’t want other businesses to be targeted.

Stupid: The 60-second clip shows two of the three-man gang jump out of a white van with its number plate hidden from view and load two sofas through the back door

Getaway: But the men see store manager Justin Hallett approaching they run to the driver's seat in a bid to escape

Oh dear: But they left the van's back doors open allowing Mr Hallett to drag the loot back into the car park

And another one: Mr Hallett drags the second sofa from the van with no thought for his own safety. His boss, Mark Kypta, said it was like a Benny hill movie

Safe and sound: Mr Hallett retrieves the last sofa before the raiders speed off

The Sofa King: Sofa King boss Mark Kypta who captured the CCTV sequence said his store manager Mr Hallett is in line for a healthy Christmas bonus for his bravery

'The barefaced cheek of these guys was just crazy - and it could have easily got a bit nasty.

'Luckily nobody was hurt and we kept our stock, but it could have quite easily have been a different story altogether.'

The 60-second clip shows two of the three-man gang jump out of a white van with its number plate hidden from view.

One strides into the store while his accomplice opens the doors on the back of the van before following him.

Seconds later, both men reappear carrying a large brown leather sofa which they bundle into the vehicle.

They then re-enter the shop and return to the van carrying a second three-seater which they shove into the van before attempting to escape - with Mr Hallett in hot pursuit.



The dramatic raid unfolded at the Sofa King furniture superstore near Northampton at 11.45am on Saturday.

Funny: Mr Kypta said the CCTV footage could be straight out of a skit by legendary comedian Benny Hill, pictured with his Angels