Store thief captured on camera

A brazen shoplifter was caught on CCTV as he walked into a Cleveleys store and walked out with a valuable electric vaping device.
By The Newsroom
Published 28th Jun 2017, 13:54 BST
Updated 18th Jul 2017, 08:43 BST
The image from the store CCTVThe image from the store CCTV
The image from the store CCTV

The Drip Drop vape store in Cleveleys was targeted last week. A store worker’s personal possessions were taken from the counter by the opportunist thief who was captured on camera.Store owner Samantha Stone, who only set up in business in August, could not believe the nerve of the raider.She said: “It was such a shock. It is literally over in less than a minute.“The shop worker was sorting out a cupboard, he had his back turned to the counter.“The lad had been in and asking about a few products.“While our staff member’s back has been turned he’s grabbed his personal vaper off the counter.“It’s not shop stock but I still can’t believe he’s done it.“It’s so obvious, in broad daylight.“There are cameras there and yet he doesn’t seem to care.“It certainly is a lesson learned and I don’t think anything will be left out like that again.”The RX 200 electronic smoking device which was taken will cost around £110 to replace.The incident, at the Nutter Road store, happened at around 10.39am on Saturday.It has been reported to police.Samantha said: “We’ve got a very clear image of him and you can see on the video how he just walks up to the counter and picks it up.“Somebody might have seen him around town at the time. They might recognise him from the footage.“I’ve spoken to a few people who think they’ve seen the same lad around so he is probably local.”Anyone with information should call police on 101.