Bungling thieves stole trays of cigarettes from a Burton store - but spilled half the load after leaving the boot of their getaway car open.
Staffordshire Police are appealing for help to track down two men who took three cages of cigarettes from a lorry delivering to the One Stop convenience store in Derby Road, Burton at 7.05am on Monday November 6.
The men did not close the boot of the blue Audi A6 estate they were driving, causing the stolen cigarettes to spill onto the floor, according to Staffordshire Police.
A spokesman for Staffordshire Police has urged anybody with information or with dash-cam footage to come forward to help identify the people involved.
In a statement on social media, police said: "We'd like to know if you spotted a bright blue Audi A6 estate speeding off from Derby Road, Burton early morning of Monday, November 6.
"Two men forced a delivery driver to hand over three cages full of cigarettes from the lorry outside the One Stop, Derby Road, Burton.
"As the two offenders made their way out of Burton town centre in their bright blue Audi A6 estate, it started to spill the stolen cigarettes out of the boot which had failed to shut. Their getaway vehicle had been parked on the Derby Road behind the P&H lorry prior to the robbery.
"We are appealing for witnesses who may have seen this vehicle in Burton prior to and after the incident. We are also keen to hear from anyone with dash-cam footage that has travelled along the Derby Road at around 7am."
Anybody with any information should call 101 quoting incident number 73 of November 6.
