TWO bungling burglars carried out an alcohol-fuelled raid on the discount store where they both worked, swiping nearly £6,000 from the safe and then frittering it away on hotels and a casino.

The actions of Ryan Donnelly, 25, and pal Dean Smith, 23, who planned to “borrow” just £20 beer money from Poundland at St Nicholas Gate in Carlisle, were compared to the film Dumb And Dumber.

But as they got increasingly drunk they three times returned to the store where they worked as supervisors, using their staff key to get in and deactivating the alarm each time. 

They were so drunk that on the night of January 24 they failed to appreciate that the whole escapade was being recorded on the store’s CCTV cameras.

Their actions prompted one of the men’s own defence lawyers to compare the raids to the film “Dumb and Dumber”.

At the city’s crown court, both men admitted three counts of burglary.

They were both jailed – Smith for 14 months and Donnelly for eight months.

Tim Evans, prosecuting, described how the men’s jobs at Poundland gave them access to the front door key. On the night of the burglaries, they had decided to go out drinking in Carlisle.

CCTV images clearly showed what happened, said the barrister.

The pair first returned to the closed up store at 8.17pm.

Mr Evans said: “They were both seen returning to the store, going to the front door and using a key to get in and then turning off the alarm.”

Inside, they visited the store’s office, opening the safe.

The pair made two further visits to the shop – at 10.05pm and then just after midnight.

The next morning, staff found the safe was open and £5,700 was missing.

Donnelly was due into work but did not turn up.

Police caught up with the pair six days later – Donnelly when he handed himself in and Smith when he was arrested at his home.

Describing their police interviews, Mr Evans said: “Smith said his role was a supervisor at the store and that he had locked up that night. He then went to the pub with Mr Smith and they both got drunk and went back to Poundland.

“The first time they took just £20. Their plan was that it would be used to buy more drink. He said they intended to pay the money back the following day. They went back to town, spent the money and then back a second time to Poundland.”

It was actually on their third visit they took the cash, said Mr Evans.

The barrister continued: “They took the money, hired a taxi, went to Newcastle and booked themselves into a hotel. They spent all the money in a casino in Newcastle. They were in Newcastle for a couple of days.”

Smith left his bank card in the safe to suggest he intended to repay the cash.

Alan Lovett, for Donnelly, of Beveridge Road, Denton Holme, said that what happened read like a film script.

“The name of the film would be Dumb and Dumber,” said the lawyer.

He said: “They were impulsive moments of madness, fuelled by drink and camaraderie. He has ruined his life.”

Tariq Khwam, for Smith, of Newlaithes Avenue, Morton, said his client regarded what happened as “the biggest mistake of his life.”.

Judge Barbara Forrester said she could not suspend the jail sentences because the men, both employed as supervisors, had breached the high degree of trust that was placed in them by their employer.

She noted that Smith already had 25 offences on his record, including eight for theft and kindred offences.