Clubber shot in the face

Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward after a man was shot at a packed Coventry night-spot in the early hours of last Thursday morning. The 28-year-old man is in a critical condition at the Coventry and Warwickshire Hospital after being shot in the face at the Bar Zest club in the Burges. DI Mark Owen said that police were treating the incident as attempted murder. "The bar was full at the time of the incident and it is vital we speak to as many witnesses as possible," he said. The incident happened at 1.08am. Witnesses are urged to call Little Park Street CID on 02476 539082 in confidence, or Crimestoppers 0800 555111. Spate of keg thefts Police are to advise pubs about how to stop the theft of beer kegs by organised gangs. A seminar ­ organised by Keg Watch, which was set up by the brewing industry to advise licensees how to protect their property ­ was run for 60 Nottinghamshire police officers and support staff following a spate of thefts over the summer. They now plan to pass on what they have learned to licensees. Thefts cost brewers £12m every year. Empty barrels, kegs and casks are the property of the brewer and it is illegal for anyone else to buy them or sell them on. But police believe they are attractive to organised gangs who steal aluminium or stainless steel kegs for their scrap value. The cost of replacing them ranges from £50 up to £120 ­ and that has to be met by the brewery. Licensing officer Dave Browitt, who organised the seminar, said keg theft was not a new phenomenon. "Containers are sometimes stolen for their scrap value but are also sometimes used to hold petrol or diesel, as buoys for mooring boats or even as plant pots. "By helping to get them back, Keg Watch aims to reduce the need to manufacture new containers, saving money and benefiting the environment." Mike Knight, chairman of the Nottingham city centre Pub and Club Watch, said: "There was a very bad spate a few months ago. It was absolutely ridiculous. People were driving up in vans, opening their doors and rolling the barrels in. The thieves see barrels outside a cellar or a pub waiting to be collected and they just pinch them." He is advising licensees to chain kegs together to a secure point. "We certainly have to batten down the hatches on the kegs ­ not just the full ones but the empty ones as well," he said. Draws that break law Landlords who encourage certain games in their pubs, could be breaking the law, police in South Devon have warned. Meat draws, video race nights and bonus ball draws are all illegal in pubs because they are games of chance and need special licences, police licensing officer Neil Stanlake told members of Brixham Licensed Victuallers Association. He said games of skill were fine but games of chance could result in a police investigation and prosecution. The only race nights which comply with the law are those where the complete night's takings at the bar are proved to be handed over to charity. PC Stanlake called on licensees planning Christmas activities to seek advice if they wished to include games of chance and keep within the law. Beware the cold callers Pubs in Cambridgeshire are being warned to be on their guard about advertising opportunities. A company in St Neots received a call asking if they wanted to advertise in a glossy brochure about crime prevention and safety. They got the impression that the Cambridgeshire force endorsed the brochure. Trevor Bracken, from the Community Safety Department in March, said: "Cambridge-shire Constabulary is not currently involved in any form of brochure of this type and we do not get involved in cold calling. "We are concerned that companies may feel encouraged to take up the advertising opportunity, firstly because they believe it has the backing of the force. If anyone receives opportunities to advertise and they want to be sure Cambridgeshire Con-stabulary is involved, they should contact the Community Safety Departments at March Police Station on 01354 652 561, Bridge Street Police Station in Peterborough on 01733 563 232 and Parkside Police Station in Cambridge on 01223 358966.