Strangest things stolen from pubs
From a poster of Alan Partridge to a haunted cannon, there seems to be no limit to what tempts customers to engage in theft.
But, it’s intriguing just to see how far those limits can be stretched so The Morning Advertiser has asked its readers:
What’s the strangest thing that’s been stolen from your pub?
Here are some of the replies given by people who work in pubs:
- Alan Bonar-Drake A display bottle of gin, filled with water
- Joss Webber A knitted baby Jesus
- Roberto Ross Someone's ashes
- Craig Barkham My ability to have a private life
- Di Bradley Toilet seat from the gents, three in two months
- Jade Marie Cooper My garden furniture, it was chucked on the roundabout outside the pub
- Brendan Hall My patience in humanity
- John Hodgetts Someone took a goldfish out of the fish tank and we found it later in a pint of cider dead
- Andy Robb Credit card machine
- Laura Phillips The street A-board, 'don't do drugs' sign from the ladies loo
- Sammi Fisher Someone left a half-eaten orange that was stolen from a fruit pot in the men's toilet
- Joe MT A half empty soap bottle from the ladies toilets
- Dean Hunter A 6ft inflatable penguin
- Andrew Whittaker A ‘display’ bottle of red wine that was actually just blackcurrant juice
- Alex Marshall My soul
- Nigel Kivell My wife! Head chef nicked her in broad daylight!
- Diane Beech A 3ft stuffed giraffe and a wheelchair
- Andy Rice Toilet brush
- David Bird My dignity
- Angela Smith Stopcock out of the toilet
For full list, click here.
Nigel Farage autograph
Back in August 2018, a pub in Cornwall pleaded for the return of a signed picture of former United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage after it was stolen.
The Logan Rock Inn in Penzance asked the thief to “do the right thing” and return the autographed photograph of the controversial politician.
Anita George, who runs the 16th century pub with her husband Peter, said the theft took place during a busy period.
She told The Morning Advertiser: “We were very busy when this incident occurred, and it wasn't until the next morning that I noticed it was missing.
“I was naturally very disappointed by this. I will do my best to get another.”
A haunted cannon
The Salty Dog in Northwich, Cheshire, was praised for its appeal to ask a thief to return a cannon knick-knack – a small cannon that is supposedly haunted by ‘headless, one-legged Burt’.
The pub’s appeal on Facebook attracted 142 likes, 19 comments and 36 shares.
The post read: "Someone has nicked our cannon, it was the one we used to prop open the door and had great sentimental attachment as it stopped us getting sweaty!
"If you are the one that stole it, you should probably know that it is HAUNTED, you will be visited by some nasty apparitions and it'll serve you right for being a sneaky tea leaf!
"We would like it back, fully aware people make questionable decisions when they've had a beer, so no hard feelings, but keeping it once you sober up is a classless move and Headless, One Legged Burt, The Ghost Of The Cannon is gonna get ya!"
