Eastney blacksmith suspicion's aroused over theft after 'strange' man shows up day before incident

AN Eastney blacksmith who had items stolen from her craft premises said her suspicions were aroused after a ‘strange man; the type who would spit at you’ showed up at the location the previous day.

By Steve Deeks

Published 11th Apr 2020, 16:28 BST

Updated 11th Apr 2020, 16:29 BST

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Lucille Scott, of Little Duck Forge, said she noticed ‘something missing’ on Thursday before checking her CCTV and seeing the same man with identical bull terrier dogs - but this time with a woman - stealing from her craft centre at 2.14am.

A mysterious Enterprise van was spotted on the footage which, Lucille said was driven by the male who turned up the previous day.

‘The man climbed over the wall and got into the yard and was trying to hand something through the fence,’ Lucille said of the CCTV footage.

The mysterious van

The mysterious van

‘They were trying to get a prime piece but were unable to do it.’

But the assailants did manage to get a specially crafted hanging basket worth £150 and other items from the yard before making off.

The business owner said she recognised the man on CCTV as the one who came to the shop a day earlier.

She said: ‘A guy with two distinctive bull terrier dogs showed up. He was looking around the site.

‘I ended up locking the gate because I didn’t want him to come into the yard. He seemed strange and was the type of person who would spit at you.’

Anyone with information should call police on 101, quoting 44200128448.

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