A BUSINESSWOMAN whose shop was raided by masked men last night described her shock at watching the crime unfold on CCTV linked to a mobile phone.

Donna Dobson, who owns Fox & Field, a country clothing store in Barnard Castle, County Durham, said she originally suspected something as innocent as a mouse might have set off the alarms at the town centre premises.

The Northern Echo:

Donna Dobson owner of Fox & Field in Barnard Castle who watched on a mobile phone the footage of robbers raiding her shop. Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

The 47-year-old said she was woken at about 1.30am on October 10 by the alarm system which is linked to her mobile phone.

The mother-of-one would normally be able to check the store’s cameras from her own phone, but the system had not yet fully registered on the new device.

A call from the store manager, Julie Nicholson, who has the same system confirmed her worst fears as she had been able to see the burglary as it happened.

The Northern Echo:

Kenneth Yorke has been jailed for his part in the burglary

Mrs Dobson watched the footage back with Mrs Nicholson and police officers shortly after the incident where three masked robbers were seen looting the store and specifically targetting Tweed and field jackets – items Mrs Dobson has now stopped stocking in store.

The men ripped thousands of pounds worth of items from the rails before driving off in a car.

Mrs Dobson said: “We had the CCTV linked to the mobile phone so when the police got here we were able to stand outside and see what was happening which really helped the police.”

She added: “People are always saying Barnard Castle should have more CCTV but actually at the time I found it pretty useless because it was traumatising watching somebody trashing the shop.”

Mrs Dobson said the footage gave the police vital clues and she praised them for their hard work which meant 70 per cent of her stock had been returned within 48 hours.

And one of the culprits, Kenneth Sharkey Yorke, was sentenced for the burglary on Friday, where he was jailed for 27 months for his part in the raid.

Appearing via video link to Durham Crown Court from the city’s nearby prison, Yorke admitted a charge of burglary and handling a Mercedes c220, stolen earlier, which was in his possession at the time of his arrest, later on the day of the burglary.

Following his prompt pleas, Yorke’s barrister, Chris Baker, said the 27-year-old defendant, of Walker Drive, Bishop Auckland, was aware that, “custody is inevitable” in the case and added that there was no reason why he should not be sentenced.

Judge Jonathan Carroll agreed and said he would pass sentence later in the court day after presentation of a verbal report on the defendant by the liaison probation officer.

Mark Giuliani, prosecuting, said the break-in, one of three which took place at commercial premises in Barnard Castle in the early hours that morning, was reported to police shortly after 1.40am.

A car pulled up outside the shop and a figure carrying a sledgehammer smashed open the door, before he was joined by others who grabbed items from the premises and put them in the car, which was then driven away.

Allowing a 25-per cent discount on sentence because of his guilty pleas, Judge Carroll was able to reduce the 36-month prison sentence to one of two years and three months.

Following the hearing, Inspector Ed Turner, of Barnard Castle neighbourhood policing team, said: “Since the incident, we have recovered the property and returned it to the rightful owner, which the victim is extremely happy about.

“Quick work by the neighbourhood team and our CID colleagues, and, a good result all round.”

The two remaining suspects are still at large and the police confirmed enquiries are ongoing.

If you have any information, contact the police by calling 101 or alternatively Crimestoppers on 0800-555-111.