A SUSPECTED burglar got a slice of misfortune following a Dominos break-in – after a resident heard the commotion and rang police.

At about 5.30am this morning, police were contacted by a member of the public who had heard a suspicious banging noise in the centre of Houghton-le-Spring.

It was reported the noise sounded like somebody was smashing something up with a hammer – with the disturbance so loud that it had awoken neighbours.

Officers attended and discovered a break-in had occurred at Dominos, off Newbottle Street.

The Northern Echo:

Police Dog Raven picked up a scent and found a smashed-up till and cash and officers spotted an intruder lurking near Costa on the same street, which had also been broken into.

The 20-year-old man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of burglary and last night remained in police custody.

Northumbria Police thanked the member of the public who raised the alarm and said enquiries are ongoing into the break-ins.

Detective Sergeant Chris Raper-Smith, of Northumbria Police, said: “This was an excellent bit of policing between a number of officers – from the response cops first on the scene to our fantastic Operations Department and Dog Section who helped to recover the suspected stolen property.

“The alert member of the public absolutely did the right thing by contacting us after hearing something suspicious, and his decision allowed us to deploy officers to the area within a matter of minutes.

“It was then a case of good old-fashioned police work as we discovered the break-in at Dominos and Costa – and then quickly arrested a suspect nearby.

“Police Dog Raven also played a big part in leading officers directly to a smashed up till nearby, and this once again highlights the valuable role that our Dog Section plays in helping to detect crime and locate suspects.

“The man arrested remains in police custody and will continue to assist officers with their enquiries throughout the day. In the meantime, we are asking anybody who saw anything suspicious in that area in the early hours of this morning to get in touch.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Northumbria Police on 101, quoting log 105 211020.