Burglar who 'deliberately' blocked toilet to distract pub staff 'stole £1.5k from behind the bar'

Lincolnshire police have confirmed it is investigating a distraction burglary at the Angel Inn, Wainfleet, which took place shortly after 1pm on Friday 1 September.

According to police, a man went into the pub and “deliberately” blocked the toilet to distract Licensee Teresa Saunders. While she was busy dealing with the blockage, the man is alleged to have gone behind the bar and stolen cash.

Left feeling shocked​

Speaking to The Morning Advertiser​, Saunders said she was in the pub alone when the crime happened.

“I served him a pint of lager and we struck up a conversation about the pubs that used to be open in Wainfleet, and about pubs in the surrounding areas," she said.

“As I was on my laptop, I even looked up phone numbers for a couple of the pubs he was talking about, because he said he was looking for accommodation.

“I served him two more pints of lager and carried on doing paper work and chatting to him.

“He even struck up a conversation with my 12-year-old daughter when she popped in to speak to me.”

Flushed twice​

According to Saunders, the man got up around 2pm and went to the toilet.

“When he came back he told me the toilet was blocked, that he had tried to sort it himself by flushing it twice, but the water was very near the top,” continued Saunders.

“I went round to look, and while I was checking the man went behind the bar and took an envelope of money out of my handbag. He then came round to the toilet and started talking to me.

“I walked back round to the bar to fetch some rubber gloves, disinfectant, air freshener and a bucket.

“I then went back to the toilet and the man went back behind the bar going in my handbag a second time taking the other envelope of money.”

Saunders claims in total £1,836 in cash was stolen from her handbag, something she did not discover until much later.

Up the u-bend​

“He came back to the toilet to ask if I was managing to sort it,” she continued.

“I went back behind the bar to get something to empty the water from the toilet so I could find out what was blocking the toilet.”

Saunders said the man had been for a poo, and then pushed a large amount of toilet paper up the u-bend.

“It was disgusting,” she said.

Everything captured on CCTV​

“It was about 7pm before I realised the money was missing" continued Saunders. "I was sorting a wholesalers order for my husband to get the next day. I went to my bag to get him some money when I found it was missing. I was shocked.

“My husband immediately asked what time the man had been in the pub. He searched the CCTV footage and the whole thing unfolded.

“Everything was captured, you can even see the bags as he puts them in his pocket. I phoned the police and they were very helpful.”

Feeling nervous​

Saunders said this is the first time something like this has happened.

“We are a new business, only opening in December of last year - the pub had been shut for 10 years.

“This experience has really shocked me and left me feeling nervous to be left in the pub on my own,” she said.

“In future I will make sure my handbag is locked away out of sight.”

Police are looking for a man in connection with the incident, who is described as a white male in his late 50s or early 60s, 6ft tall, slim build, with short grey hair, and walked with a limp.

Police said he was wearing blue denim jeans and a blue denim shirt that had a distinctive rip under his right breast pocket and glasses. 

Anyone with information is asked to call PC Emma Dodsworth on 101, quoting incident number 382 of 1st September.​