Police probe bizarre break-ins at two Wigan dental surgeries within days of each other

In one a safe containing nothing of value was snatched, in the other an intruder fled empty-handed after a cleaner disturbed him breaking a window.

Other practices in the area have now been put on alert.

The first raid took place in the early hours of Friday November 17 at the Perfect Smile Dental Practice on Ormskirk Road, Pemberton.

Staff came in to find a front window smashed and a strong box gone but there had been no attempt to take drugs.

Assistant manager Alison Whitfield said: “We are a cashless premises so I am not sure what they were after. For sure there was nothing of any particular value in the safe.

"Apart from the broken window and a bit of inconvenience it was business as usual. However we did give a heads-up to the Local Dental Council in case any other practices were affected.”

Sure enough, at 4.30am on Thursday November 23 a cleaner came in early to work at Church Street Dental Practice in Orrell when he heard a noise.

He went to investigate and as he entered the second surgery a figure smashed the window in an attempt to get in. The cleaner immediately ran outside, locked the front door and rang 999. The burglar escaped without taking anything.

Senior nurse Janine Stoeman said: “I don’t know why anyone would want to target dental pratices. There’s little of any use to thieves here.

"It made the staff uneasy and meant some re-training and form-filling but, thankfully, customers were not inconvenienced.”

Anyone with information on either raid is asked to ring police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.