A CROOK was unknowingly captured on CCTV after “pretending” to browse hamster cages.

Furious shop owner Mark Larner has now released images of the man he believes stole £500 from his family-run business.

Mr Larner, 47, who owns Colchester Pet Stores, in Short Wyre Street, has six minutes of CCTV footage of the crook, who seemingly failed to realise he was looking right at the camera.

At the time of the theft, Mr Larner was on holiday and his father Terry, 72, was looking after the shop MarkLarner said: “It isn’t so much the money – it’s more the point that someone has come in to my shop.

“We work hard, we’re a small business and someone has come in and nicked £500 from us. It is really horrible.”

Mr Larner is offering a £500 cash reward for information about the theft from the shop till.

The cash was most of the shop’s takings for the day.

The man came into the shop, which has been in the Larner family for four generations, and asked to look at a hamster cage.

He told Terry he wanted to buy it and asked for a box to put it in.

When Terry went upstairs to get one, the man went behind the till, opened it and took £500.

One of the shop’s cameras is located right by the hamster cages, so it captured clear footage.

Mark Larner said: “He knew what to do, but he didn’t know there was CCTV. Dad came downstairs and he was gone.”

Since the incident, Mr Larner has also upgraded his CCTV system and installed more cameras.

Essex Police are investigating the burglary, which happened about 4.45pm on Friday, February 13.

No one has been arrested yet.

A spokesman said: “Inquiries are continuing and anyone with information is asked to call 101.”