A "career criminal" was caught on camera crawling through borough hospitality venues while stealing cash from behind the tills.
Shamsul Islam's burglary spree began on August 19 on Heathfield Road in Bury when he tried the door of a parked car and realised it was unlocked.
He then left before returning at 1am when he opened the car door and stole the victim’s coat and searched the boot for more items to steal before he fled.
But Islam dropped two disposable e-cigarettes in the car and crime scene investigators were able to link them to Islam’s DNA which was already on the police database from a previous burglary.
Nine days later, on Wednesday, August 28 at 3am, he gained entry to a pub on Manchester Road in Whitefield through the back gate of the premises before he smashed the ground floor window to get in.
Nothing was reported stolen though.
After an unsuccessful burglary on Manchester Road, Islam was seen an hour later on CCTV at a pub on Bury New Road in Whitefield after he broke in through an insecure ground floor window.
He was captured on CCTV crawling the length of the pub floor all the way behind the bar where he removed £200 from the till.
The night after, on Thursday, August 29, Islam went to Dale Street in Whitefield at 1.40am walked past a number of residential properties.
He pushed at the front doors and tried to prise the ground floor windows open with his hands. After failing to gain entry, Islam moved on.
Then, in the early evening of Sunday, September 1, Islam smashed the ground floor window to a hair and beauty salon on Radcliffe New Road, while the owner was working in the salon.
This was heard by the tenant of the flat above, who disturbed Islam by shouting “Oi what’s going on” to which Islam replied “sorry Ma’am” before he ran away from the salon.
On Tuesday, September 3, Islam wanted to go back to the bar that he burgled on Wednesday, August 28 on Bury New Road in Whitefield so much that he returns to the premises at 3am and enters through an insecure window, prising it open before entering on the ground floor.
He crawled on his stomach trying to cover his face in an attempt to evade capture from the numerous CCTV cameras before hopping over the bar and taking another £200 from the till.
Islam next made his way to a takeaway on Bury New Road at 11pm on Wednesday, September 4 and smashes the ground floor windows to gain entry to the property before ransacking the till, taking £200 and a work mobile phone valued at £1,200. This was done all while leaving behind a number of footprints and fingerprints which were captured by police the following day.
Before he was rumbled, Islam visited a restaurant on Sefton Street in Whitefield.
He broke in after smashing the front ground floor window and another pane of glass in the door to gain entry.
The owner of the restaurant was woken at 2.15am after his phone alerted him to activity on the CCTV inside the bar area, and after watching the footage live, he could not believe his eyes.
Islam proceeded to crawl over the bar to reach the till before attempting to ransack it for cash.
He was disturbed by the intruder alarm and he quickly climbed back over the bar smashing multiple wine glasses on his way out.
A small trace of blood was located by police as Islam injured himself getting out the premises quickly through the smashed window.
This evidence put an end to Islam’s burgling spree across Bury, where he found himself in police custody.
Islam, 40, of no fixed address, was jailed for four years after being found guilty of burglary at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court.
“Islam is a career criminal who had absolutely no right to be so brazenly entering the premises and taking what isn’t his.
“I would like to thank the victims, and everyone in the force that played a part in getting Islam arrested, and those involved in this investigation that has brought Islam to justice, including our crime scene investigators who were able to prove that he was responsible for this spate of offences."
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Neighbourhood crime teams continue their pursuit of burglars and thieves across Greater Manchester, and GMP is "willing to use all resources and tactics available" to ensure those who target innocent people’s businesses are put before the courts.
Since the start of the force's Operation Castle, alongside seeing a decrease in residential burglary, tackling business burglaries also remains a priority, and since 2021, the force has reduced business burglaries in Greater Manchester by 28 per cent from 5,478 in 2021 to 2022 to 3,942 in 2023 to 2024.
GMP said Islam's case also shows the importance of utilising crime prevention advice.
Islam continuously checked if a vehicle or premises had insecure doors and windows and, in some instances, thought that it was not worth the trouble and turned away if he could see it would be difficult to gain entry.
GMP also has advice on its website to help businesses and residents keep burglars out of their properties.
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