Thief mocked by Canberra cafe owner after bungled break-in

A Canberra cafe owner has publicly mocked a thief who smashed into his shop by sharing a video of the bungled break-in set to the tune of the Benny Hill theme.

Just before 5am last Friday, the Niugini Arabica cafe in Canberra's south was broken into for the fifth time in four years, the ABC reports.

CCTV footage shows the thief making hard work of smashing through the shop's glass door with a hammer as the iconic music mocks his struggle.

Once inside he darts around the cafe looking for money and then makes a futile attempt to open the cash register.

Resigned to failure the bandit grabs a bandage from a first aid kit, which he drops at the broken door as he makes his getaway.

The video then cuts to the next day with the cafe full of customers and operating more or less as normal.

However, one waitress carrying coffees in each hand hasn't adjusted to the altered surroundings and falls through the gap where the door was after leaning back to open it, showering herself in coffee.

Cafe owner Theodore Levantis said the accident was a force of habit.

"When you're holding two cups you push the door backwards to walk backwards through the door," he said.

"She completely forgot the glass wasn't there and fortunately, thank goodness, she wasn't hurt."

Mr Levantis said his son made the video for a school project.

"The best way to overcome a bad situation is to turn it around somehow," he said.

The owner said it was funny that the thief left empty-handed when their was some cash on the premises, including the tip jar.

Police are investigating the break-in.