Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Clumsy pub tree thieves on film
A pub landlord says he hopes to have the last laugh on a pair of comical thieves caught on CCTV carrying out a clumsy raid.
The ham-fisted pair are seen stealing trees in terracotta pots from the forecourt of the popular Tyler’s Kiln in Tyler Hill.
But in their efforts, they drop and smash one pot and damage Christmas lights. The 20-minute episode is filmed on the pub’s security cameras. It happened shortly after it closed at 10pm on Sunday.
With the pub lights still on and cars going past in Hackington Road, the pair are filmed going backwards and forwards, trying to lift the heavy pots containing 5ft topiary trees.
They eventually got away with two, which are thought to have been loaded on to a darkcoloured, open-back lorry. A red Citroën Picasso is also believed to have been used.
Now the pub has offered a £1,000 reward in return for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the thieves.
Landlord Tony Sherwood said: “It gave us quite a few laughs watching this pair on our CCTV. But on a serious note, we go to a lot of effort and great detail to make the pub attractive.
“The plant pots were chosen for our tile-clay-themed colour scheme and the topiary trees are kept meticulously trimmed by our gardeners every week. We also spent weeks installing our Christmas lighting and decor.
“When there’s so much to do and so many other costs, we really don’t need a setback like this.
“We have CCTV to ensure the safety of our customers and our property, and it has already proven invaluable in leading to an eight-year sentence for an attempted burglary in Tyler Hill in February. We have more up our sleeves than just the CCTV to ensure these criminals are prosecuted after they are identified.”
Police are investigating the thefts and say the two men they want to speak to are thought to be both aged in their early 20s.
One was wearing a darkcoloured hooded jacket with a fur trim and tracksuit trousers.
The other was in a grey hooded top with an emblem and tracksuit trousers.
Anyone with information should call police on 01843 222289, quoting ZY/42888/16.