The owner of a popular coffee shop in Sherborne has been left in disbelief after its poppy collection tin was stolen in broad daylight.

The theft happened on Monday (November 5) at Oliver's Coffee House on Cheap Street at around 1.10pm.

Jane Wood, the owner of the shop, says she has CCTV footage of the theft and has passed it to police and shared it on social media in a bit to catch the culprits.

She says the tin - which had not been fixed to the counter - had roughly £30 inside of it, although she admits she's not sure of the exact amount.

She said: "I can't appropriately describe how I'm feeling right now. My actual feeling is a load of expletives.

"I was just sitting at the front table having lunch - something I never do - and then two people came in.

"There was a woman and a man wearing a baseball cap, and they were acting a bit weird. The guy came in and saw exactly where the tin was, then we saw them talking outside, and then she picked up a menu and just stood near the tin.

"It was really busy too so I couldn't see exactly what they were up to.

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"She was sort of rummaging around with her coat and bag, and she managed to steal the tin by hiding it under her coat.

"I'm not entirely sure of how much was in the tin, but it was probably around £30.

"But that's not even the point; who does that?

"The absolute lowest of the low.

"Hopefully if this message can be shared it can let other businesses know to attach their charity boxes.

"We will be doing so from now on, even though we've never had one stolen in my seven years of being here - and it's always been unattached.

Oliver's Coffee House

A Dorset Police spokesman said: "It's been reported that there was a theft of a poppy collection box at Oliver's Coffee House on Cheap Street in Sherborne.

"The report came in at 1:43pm today, and it's been passed onto local officers to investigate."

Oliver's Coffee House has since posted a tweet informing their customers that they have ordered a new tin, and this time it will be glued down.

This is not the only poppy related crime in recent weeks.

Last week the president of the Yeovil branch of Royal British Legion expressed outrage at vandalism to poppies in Somerset during the 100-year centenary of the end of the First World War.

It has been alleged that poppy decorations on King George Street, Yeovil were torn down and that the Yeovil War Memorial and the Commonwealth War Graves sign on Preston Road were also defaced.


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