A SOUTHEND seafront arcade which was badly damaged in recent floods has been targeted by a would-be thief who also set fire to a bin.

The thief was caught on CCTV trying to break into a lock-up at the back of the Happidrome arcade on Marine Parade.

Owner Martin Richardson used the lock-up to store sewagecontaminated items from the August flood.

Mr Richardson, who lost carpets, machines and equipment to the flood water, spotted the bin smouldering against a fence.

When he searched through CCTV images to see what had happened, he spotted the attempted break-in.

He said: “The crook had tried to break in to a locked container we have out the backwhich have things in that were contaminated by raw sewage.”

“We had to lock that stuff up because it’s not safe to be around. If he’d managed to get in he could have caught e-coli and botulism “It’s even got a sign on it saying it is dangerous. It would have made my day if he had got in.”

After failing to get in the intruder set light to a waste bin nearby and ran off.

A spokeswoman for Essex Police said officers are investigating the incident.

Any witnesses are asked to call 101.