Strange moment hungry burglar caught on CCTV stealing food from McDonald's

24 April 2024 , 10:33

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Strange moment hungry burglar caught on CCTV stealing food from McDonald's

The bizarre moment a hungry burglar broke into a McDonald’s and stole a bag of food has been captured on CCTV.

Scott Goulding, 24, was seen climbing through a smashed window of the fast-food restaurant in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. Footage captured him loitering around the area at 1.20am earlier this year on January 4, before smashing a window, entering the premises and fleeing with a bagful of food.

The break-in was discovered the following morning when restaurant staff were met with a broken window. In the clip, Goulding is seen pushing himself through the hole in the window of the restaurant's drive-thru area. He briefly disappears into another room, before re-emerging with a brown paper bag containing food.

Scott Goulding, 24, set fire to a flat two days later (Nottinghamshire Police / SWNS)

Scott was captured on CCTV footage breaking into McDonald’s (Nottinghamshire Police / SWNS)

Two days later, emergency services were called to a flat in Shireoaks Court, Mansfield, when residents reported a fire at around 5.30am. Residents were forced to flee from their properties – with one woman having to jump out of a window to safety. Goulding was found lying on the floor outside the block of flats and was passing in and out of consciousness. Others said Goulding had apologised to them moments earlier, admitting to torching the flat.

Fire investigators found Goulding had made a makeshift bonfire in the corner of his flat using a Christmas tree, a mattress and two tables. Goulding admitted burglary and arson and was jailed for three years and four months appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday (19/4). Detective Constable Kate Hardy, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: "Officers on duty that night used their instincts to quickly identify Goulding as a suspect in both these incidents.

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“Arson is always an extremely serious and reckless offence - but to set fire to a flat in a residential area shows a blatant disregard for the life of other people living in that block of flats and the wider neighbourhood. If the flames hadn’t been brought under control so quickly, this fire could have had catastrophic consequences. It is only through good fortune that no one was seriously injured or worse.

“We also take break-ins on businesses very seriously because of the impact they can have on staff. It is an unpleasant experience to come into work and discover the premises have been broken into overnight. I am pleased the judge has seen fit to give Goulding a prison sentence and I hope he uses this time to reflect on his reckless actions."

Adam Dutton