Brazen burglar made ham sandwich and coffee before raiding St Annes shop, police say
A brazen burglar helped himself to a ham sandwich and a coffee during a spree of break-ins at independent businesses in St Annes.
The offences formed part of a spate of burglaries investigated by the Fylde Rural Task Force, targeting shops in St Annes town centre.
Police said the burglaries involved forced entry, with significant damage caused to premises.
High-value items were stolen, including laptops, mobile phones, cameras, cash and medical equipment.
During one of the break-ins, officers said the offender even stopped to prepare food and drink, making himself a ham sandwich and a coffee before leaving with the stolen goods.
Following extensive CCTV reviews and forensic enquiries, officers identified a suspect they believed was responsible.
On Tuesday, Shaun Dagger, 52, of no fixed abode, was located in Blackpool and arrested on suspicion of burglary.
After consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, Dagger was charged with five counts of burglary as well as breach of court bail.
Police said three of the burglaries took place in St Annes town centre, with two further offences in Blackpool town centre.
Dagger was remanded to court and has since been further remanded in custody.
He is due to appear at Preston Magistrates’ Court on January 22, 2026.
A spokesman for Lancashire Police said: “We hope this offers you reassurance that we take these reports seriously.
“Offenders travelling into Fylde to commit offences will not be tolerated and we will continue to target and disrupt those involved.”
If you have any concerns about crime in your area, call 101 or report it online at https://doitonline.lancashire.police.uk/.
Independent charity Crimestoppers can also be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Always call 999 in an emergency.