'Thief' trapped in recycling bin in Bradley Stoke Published duration 5 April 2011

A would-be thief became trapped in a clothes recycling bin for four hours as he tried to steal used clothes.

The 28-year-old man had to be cut free by fire officers after he was helped into the bin by an accomplice in Bradley Stoke, near Bristol.

CCTV shows the man being pushed into the bin by an accomplice before he is confronted by security staff.

The accomplice runs away from the scene and the fire brigade is called to cut the top off the bin.

A police statement said the fire service needed to remove the roof of the bin to get him out.

"One man had climbed into the bins and was seen to remove items and hand it to the man outside.

"When they were approached one man ran off and one remained inside.