Criminals made off with £14,000- worth of garden furniture and the barbecue from outside the Crown Pub in the High Street on Thursday.
Caught on CCTV, they were recorded driving into the pub grounds in a white transit van and cramming three sets of glass-topped rattan tables and chairs and an outdoor barbecue into the back of the vehicle.
Pub owner Fiona Fenge was shocked to discover the furniture, recently brought out so visitors can enjoy a pint in the warmer weather, had disappeared when she arrived at work that day.
"I'd already been out there once and I hadn't noticed – I couldn't believe it.
"The furniture is really nice-looking – it's rattan, made of woven plastic, with glass tops, and just two years old.
"It's worth around £14,000 – it is insured but we'll have to pay the excess and there's no way we can afford to replace it before the insurance money comes in.
"Until then our visitors will have to make to with the benches outside – we've got no other outdoor furniture.
"People were just starting to go outside and use it as the weather warmed up, it's so frustrating."
Although the thieves have been caught on security footage carrying out their raid of the garden, Mrs Fenge is not optimistic that they will be caught.
"The film is really grainy," she explained.
"So you can see them going in at around 5am in the van but can't make out their faces or anything. It was so quick - in and out in 13 minutes.
"It's especially annoying because normally I park my car in front of the gate, so the van wouldn't have been able to get in – that was the one day I didn't.
"You can't lock the gate, but I never worried about it – you don't expect someone to come in and nick your garden furniture.
"I'm keeping an eye on ebay and Gumtree online – I reckon the thieves will sell them at local boot fairs – the tables and chairs will go for about £300 to £400 a set.
"It's a case of catching them at it."
A Kent Police spokesman said: "Police are investigating a report of a theft from a pub garden in High Street, Otford.
"The theft is reported to have occurred between midnight and 9.30am on May 9.
"An officer has attended the pub and is currently undertaking CCTV enquiries.
"House to house enquiries in the area have also been completed.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Kent Police by calling 101, quoting crime reference YY/8786/13.
Caught on CCTV, they were recorded driving into the pub grounds in a white transit van and cramming three sets of glass-topped rattan tables and chairs and an outdoor barbecue into the back of the vehicle.
Pub owner Fiona Fenge was shocked to discover the furniture, recently brought out so visitors can enjoy a pint in the warmer weather, had disappeared when she arrived at work that day.
"The furniture is really nice-looking – it's rattan, made of woven plastic, with glass tops, and just two years old.
"It's worth around £14,000 – it is insured but we'll have to pay the excess and there's no way we can afford to replace it before the insurance money comes in.
"Until then our visitors will have to make to with the benches outside – we've got no other outdoor furniture.
"People were just starting to go outside and use it as the weather warmed up, it's so frustrating."
Although the thieves have been caught on security footage carrying out their raid of the garden, Mrs Fenge is not optimistic that they will be caught.
"The film is really grainy," she explained.
"So you can see them going in at around 5am in the van but can't make out their faces or anything. It was so quick - in and out in 13 minutes.
"It's especially annoying because normally I park my car in front of the gate, so the van wouldn't have been able to get in – that was the one day I didn't.
"You can't lock the gate, but I never worried about it – you don't expect someone to come in and nick your garden furniture.
"I'm keeping an eye on ebay and Gumtree online – I reckon the thieves will sell them at local boot fairs – the tables and chairs will go for about £300 to £400 a set.
"It's a case of catching them at it."
A Kent Police spokesman said: "Police are investigating a report of a theft from a pub garden in High Street, Otford.
"The theft is reported to have occurred between midnight and 9.30am on May 9.
"An officer has attended the pub and is currently undertaking CCTV enquiries.
"House to house enquiries in the area have also been completed.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Kent Police by calling 101, quoting crime reference YY/8786/13.
(Reproduced from Sevenoak Times, 16th May)
Gardien Comment: CCTV pictures have to be clear enough for the police to identify persons. Property can also be marked to aid recovery, and a physical barrier to prevent access by vehicles is always recommended. See advice and product solutions at www.garden-security.co.uk
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