A GROUP of taxi passengers leapt into action to thwart a night-time break-in at a popular Suffolk clothing store.

The incident unfolded at the Javelin menswear shop in Abbeygate Street, Bury St Edmunds, at 1.45am on Saturday after thieves used a large chunk of stone to smash through the front door.

The raiders went straight for the denim items and suits before they were rumbled by passengers in the passing taxi.

The taxi's male passengers then jumped out of the car and intervened in the theft.

The value of items stolen will not be known until a full stock take is carried out but it is believed thousands of pounds of goods were taken.

David Briant, manager of the Javelin store, was informed about the raid on Saturday.

He said: “They knew what they were coming in for because they cleared the denim section and the suits. “They took a lot of stuff.

“A taxi driver pulled up outside the shop and a group of men came out and intervened in what was going on.”

Although the store does not yet know the exact value of the items stolen, Mr Briant said: “The police have got some of our stock back.”

Three of the thieves are believed to have made off in a car while the fourth ran off through the town on foot.

It is understood the rear window of the get-away car was smashed by one of the taxi passengers as it fled the scene.

Yesterday, Javelin was open for business with a boarded up entry door the only sign of the break-in.

A spokeswoman for Suffolk Police confirmed the details given about the incident by the store but said it was unable to comment on the matter as an arrest had been made in connection with the case.

nA 25-year-old man from Thetford was arrested by Suffolk Police on suspicion of burglary and was released on police bail until July 23.

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