WOULD-BE thieves targeted a Dawlish sweet shop, smashing windows to try to gain entry.

The Puzzled Sweet Shop, in The Strand, was attacked sometime Saturday night or Sunday morning.

A group of three men was captured on video doorbell footage trying to smash their way in through the door and shop window.

But one of the culprits managed to sustain what appears to have been a nasty cut during the incident as amounts of blood were found at the scene. 

They had used a large stone to try to get inside but the premises had a deadlock so even having smashed the glass, they could not open the door. 

Owner Wendy Chadwick said: ‘They tried to get in by luckily the didn’t but they made a real mess.