BUSINESSMAN David Mills had to wait four hours for a response to a 999 call after thieves walked out of his Forest business with an expensive item of electrical equipment.

His call on Sunday evening was made short-ly after 7pm. Police eventually arrived to take a statement from him at 11.30pm.

He has closed circuit television photographs of the team who took a DVD player from his smart new store, Blakeney News Food and Wine, and says it is not the first time he has been let down by the police.

Last November a thief walked into a flat above the shop and calmly walked off with tools worth £2,000.

"The man was captured on CCTV and is easily recognisable. The police took the tape away to make a still and they have brought me one back. So far as I know they have identified the man but nothing has happened," he said.

Sunday evening's theft from the Blakeney business was the second in a week.

"The same people who stole the DVD were in the shop on Tuesday evening. We have a clear picture of the man holding the DVD. That night whisky and dairy items were taken and I said they would be back for the DVD. They were," said Mr Mills.

Mr Mills has invested over £100,000 redeveloping the village store in Blakeney and has introduced a range of new products, including electrical goods.

"It's a shame but as soon as those on display are gone I will not stock any more. Though we have a very sophisticated surveillance system we simply can't afford to lose expensive items. It's a sad state of affairs," he said.

Mr Mills said he had every sympathy with the local police but said it appeared they were grossly undermanned.

"They have a huge area to cover and it is simply not possible to be everywhere at once. They apologised they could not be with me sooner but that doesn't solve the problem.

"The ways things are I can see more and more people taking the law into their own hands and I can understand that," he said.

Mr Mills says staff were upset and shaken by the Sunday evening incident. The thief is believed to have driven away in an old-style white Sierra with a sun roof.

A police spokesman told the Review all calls were prioritised.

"It may not always be possible to answer every emergency call immediately. Unless there is a threat to life, calls are prioritised. In this case there was CCTV footage and this will be used in the investigation," she said.