IT seemed to be a fair cop - a gang of burglars caught red-handed by a beat bobby as they carried stolen furniture to a waiting van in the dead of night.

Short of wearing stripey jumpers and carrying swag bags, they could not have looked more suspicious had they tried.

But when one of the quick-thinking burglars jangled a bunch of keys in front of the officer and claimed to be the owner moving some of his stock, the bobby wished them "evenin' all" and carried on his way.

Hours later the real owner turned up and found his warehouse had been emptied of more than £25,000 of furniture - a haul which included 25 suites, 15 sofa beds, up to 40 headboards and 100 pieces of pine furniture.

Now the furious boss is to sue the force for compensation after almost being put out of business by the bungling bobby.

Company director Dennis Johnson, of Saltwells Bed and Suite Centre, in Middlesbrough, said: "I came into the store to deliver a bed and as I went into the second part of the warehouse, I realised it was empty.

"I rang the police and they told me that an officer had been there at 1.30 that morning. I just couldn't believe it.

"They had the burglars cornered and caught and they let them go.

"I just think Cleveland Police are a bit of a joke."

It is thought the burglars needed to make two trips in their truck - and the noise alerted neighbours who called in the police.

"Our insurance didn't start until May 1, when we were planning a grand store opening," said the 40-year-old owner. "That's one of the reasons I'm planning to sue the police for negligence - to try to recoup some of the money we've lost. It nearly finished the business."

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said the officer was satisfied the thieves were the owners due to "the plausible explanation given, the fact that there was no forced entry, the people on the premises were in possession of keys and there was no movement of property, nor was their a current key-holder listed for the premises".

She added that the matter was still under investigation.