Man who smashed bar’s sanitiser ‘does decent thing’ by saying sorry
.... AND HE PAID FOR REPLACEMENT AFTER SEEING CCTV APPEAL
THE owner of a Derby bar has thanked a man who came forward and apologised after taking a bottle of hand sanitiser from the business and smashing it.
But Kevin Slater, owner of the Baby M cocktail bar in Sadler Gate, has urged a woman who took two candle holders on the same day to follow suit after she was spotted taking the items on CCTV.
The man came forward after a Derby Telegraph article was published last month, following the two separate incidents on Monday, June 27. He was seen on CCTV running into the bar at around 11.30pm and taking the sanitiser, which he smashed on the ground.
But he came forward to apologise and buy a replacement after a family member contacted Kevin on Facebook just a few days after the article’s publication.
However, there has been no such remorse from the woman who took the candle holders at around 9pm on the same evening.
Kevin said: “As far as I’m concerned, the first matter is dealt with, I got the outcome I wanted and he paid to have it replaced. I wanted to clear his name a bit as I didn’t want his mistake being held against him – we all make stupid mistakes and all do stupid things.
“He’s done the decent thing, come forward and paid for a replacement, so I’m happy, everyone’s happy and it’s time to move on. I’ve appreciated the support of the police, of the newspaper and of the community, as lots of people have wanted to help and have been sharing information.
“It wasn’t worth a great deal of money, but it was the principle, and these little things add up and it’s just so unnecessary.
“When someone accidentally knocks something over, that’s a little bit different than someone who isn’t even visiting the premises but just ran in and took it and destroyed it.”
Despite the incidents, Kevin and his team have recently enjoyed three record-breaking Saturdays in a row and reiterated that the vast majority of punters have been helpful and friendly since the bar opened in early June.
But while the hand sanitiser was only worth around £10, and the candle holders around £5, Kevin said he was “disappointed” that the woman who was seen taking the holders has not yet come forward. He said: “The other lady has not come forward and I’m a bit disappointed by that. Again, they weren’t even that expensive, but it was just the principle of it that someone thinks that’s OK. She just stopped, took them and carried on.”
A police spokesperson said no arrests had been made, but the force wants to speak to anyone who has information about the woman involved in the incident. People can call 101, quoting reference 22*376713.