Burglar with ill-fitting balaclava laughed out by KFC staff

A drunken masked man laughed out of Peterborough’s KFC restaurant as he attempted to rob it has been jailed. John Veitch (22), of Cardinal’s Gate, Werrington, Peterborough, demanded money from a supervisor working at KFC in London Road, Peterborough on 7th November. But Peterborough Crown Court heard that the Scottish factory worker was so drunk he had even put his balaclava on incorrectly, so he could only see out of one eye. When staff members behind the counter started laughing at him he left empty-handed.

Veitch, who has had an alcohol problem for a number of years, returned to the Peacock pub next door where he had been drinking for most of the afternoon where he was later arrested by police. The court jailed the “inept” crook for nine months on Friday after Veitch pleaded guilty to one count of attempted robbery. Craig McDougall, prosecuting, said: “At 9.45pm on Sunday, November 7, Matthew King, a supervisor at KFC was mopping up behind the counter. There were two other female members of staff in the restaurant at the time and one customer.



“The defendant walked in wearing a large anorak, balaclava and gloves to hide his identity. He went up to the counter and slammed his hands on the counter and shouted ‘Give me your money’. Mr King’s response was ‘You are joking aren’t you mate?’ The other members of staff in the restaurant started to laugh.

“The defendant said ‘Are you laughing at me?’ and Mr King said ‘yes’. The defendant then walked out of the restaurant. Mr King went to the Peacock pub next door to warn the landlord about what had happened. The landlord had spotted a suspicious individual in the pub and called the police. When they arrived he was arrested and his balaclava and gloves were found in his pocket.”

With CCTV video.