Chris Maclean: Thieves foiled at the bar

I'm normally quite alert but I didn't spot them at first. I'd served them both halves of lager and they looked OK to me. But Jo, the barmaid on duty, discreetly beckoned me over and warned me. When I looked back I was shocked. It was as blatant as it could be. These two men were trouble.

The signs were there to be read but I had mistakenly assumed they were simply friends who'd had a few drinks. I'm not sure they were drunk. This whole debate about drunkenness is largely meaningless ~ it isn't always immediately obvious. For example, I would defy anyone to tell if and when I am drunk because, after years of experience, I conceal it very well.

These two men appeared 'merry'. Not a problem, I thought. But Jo's warning prompted me and I looked again. One was standing near the door. The other was leaning casually near the opening to the bar. The one leaning on the bar was making small talk to his friend about one of the most uninteresting pictures I had in the place. But I realised he was positioning himself to take whatever he could grab of value.

When I looked I suddenly realised within his reach was my digital camera, my mobile phone and a valuable dress watch. I quickly removed them. I had no evidence to prove what they intended to do. They had effectively done nothing. But I reckon my alert barmaid had prevented a distressing theft.

Theft is a horrible experience. It isn't just the absence of items of value. It is the feeling of being violated. That someone has intruded into your space, touched your things, taken your valuables and tried to get away with it.

Some years ago we had a burglary in our previous pub. Someone had quietly jemmied the window, removed the items on the window sill, climbed through, unbolted the main door, stacked furniture in front of our flat entrance and then calmly searched through the bar taking things of value. Had we heard them, and we didn't, we'd be unable to get at them because of the obstruction they'd made. They got in, sorted out their exit, blocked our entrance and taken our stuff.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. In South Africa a couple of years ago my wife almost had her handbag stolen containing our passports, credit cards and all our money. It could have destroyed our holiday. After that her handbag was never put down.

I've learnt to be more careful. I've learnt not to leave valuables lying around. To be more thorough with our security. To double lock doors and set alarms.

But it still shocks me that people out there can intend to do me harm. It probably shows how naïve I really am. There will be plenty of licensees out there who operate in tougher areas where such things are commonplace. But I still don't always expect it and I'm sure it will happen again.

After these two idiots left my bar I found a pair of my spectacles broken on the floor. They cost me £1.50 from the market but they were broken beyond repair. This was their gesture of frustration. I just accepted it was a small price for a reminder of how vulnerable we can be.