Two men caused thousands of pounds damage after breaking into a budget store in Dewsbury.
Lee Haynes, 22, of no fixed address, and Jamie Jackson, 28, of Norfolk Walk in Dewsbury, appeared at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court in custody.
Both pleaded guilty to the burglary at the Railway Street branch of Poundstretcher, which took place at just before 3am on Sunday.
The court heard that 14 police officers and a dog unit surrounded the store after being alerted to the break-in when the intruder alarm was sounded.
The rear fire door had been jemmied open, with tills inside opened, the safe attacked and the CCTV system disabled.
Three bags filled with food, e-cigarettes and sweets were also found.
Ben Smith, prosecuting, said: “Nobody could exit the building without police detection. One officer saw the two males hiding on the roof behind an air vent trying to conceal themselves. Their scent had been detected by the dog unit, the officers could see the hole in the roof and climbed up through it.
“They said they were homeless and needed somewhere to sleep.”
The court heard that £500 damage was caused to the fire door, with £1,000 damage to the CCTV and £1,000 damage to the roof as Haynes and Jackson climbed up there in a bid to escape police .
The court heard that Haynes had 20 previous convictions while Jackson had 26.
District Judge Michael Hopkinson said: “The premises has been deliberately targeted and there’s been a very determined attempt to get into the till and the safe.
“It’s only because they were caught in the act that this was nipped in the bud.”
Both men were committed for sentence to Leeds Crown Court. They will appear there on November 30 and were remanded in custody.
