After smashing through a glass door at Gelato Gemelli yesterday and opening it from the inside, CCTV shows a looter helping himself at the usually bustling Broadbeach restaurant while everyone was at home.

“It was very brazen of him to come at midday,” Gemelli Group’s Alec Carney said.

First he can be seen snooping around the till, before opting for something a little sweeter.

“We were a bit worried at the start, and then we realised they walked past all the expensive liquor and wine and went straight for the gelato cabinet,” Gemelli Group’s Alec Carney said.

He helped himself to six scoops of Gemelli’s gelato, taking his time to savour the flavours.

“He had a bit of everything but he definitely had a good dig at the pistachio,” Alec said.

“There was a little bit of humour in the whole thing, because it was like a mouse, a mouse trap, with the cheese, he walked past the gelati cabinet and was like ooh gelati.”

But as he went to exit with a full stomach and two bottles of whiskey he left something important behind – his phone.

The accused thief returned an hour later to pick up his device, but police weren’t far behind, chasing a man from the restaurant and arresting him just down the street.

Police charged a 40-year-old man with enter premises and commit indictable offence and unlawful possession of suspected stolen property.

He’s due to appear in Southport Magistrates Court tomorrow.

But a ban from Gemelli wouldn’t be part of the punishment, the owners said.

“Come down to Gelato Gemelli in Nobby’s and we’ll be more than happy to give you a free sample, even if he wants to come back for a free scoop,” Paul said.