A SCHOOLGIRL filmed a brazen thief helping himself to lead from the roof of her Bournemouth home.

Rosa Barr, 15, recorded the offender from her bedroom window after he climbed up onto the flat roof of the extension thinking the house was empty.

He spent several minutes removing bags of roofing lead he was preparing to steal from the property in Queen's Park.

Rosa called mum Emma at work. Mrs Barr, 48, in turn alerted the police.

Mrs Barr also asked a neighbour to check on the house. When they arrived the thief fled empty-handed over the back wall.

Now, Mrs Barr has released her daughter's video footage in a bid to catch the offender.

The man has short grey hair and was wearing a black coat and blue jeans at the time.

Mrs Barr, a business owner, said: "My daughter was home alone. Rosa spotted him from out her bedroom window and started filming him which was very brave as he was only a few yards away from her.

"She then called me to say there was a man stealing lead on the roof.

"I called a friend and then the police because I was worried about the safety of my daughter.

"The friend drove their car on to our driveway and that must have scared the thief because he legged it over the back wall before the police arrived. They were there very quickly.

"It is just lucky that he didn't see my daughter. It is horrible to think what could have happened to her. We're all in shock.

"Hopefully by putting out this video we can catch him."

A Dorset Police spokesperson said a 49-year-old Bournemouth man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted theft. He has been released under investigation.

The spokesperson said: "Dorset Police was called at 10.30am on Friday 3 January 2020 to a report of lead being stolen from the roof of a building on St Alban’s Avenue in Bournemouth. 

"Officers attended and carried out a search of the area for the offender, assisted by the NPAS helicopter."