Pub staff 'feel sick' after 'burglars steal £5k'

The manager of a pub said she "felt sick all day" after balaclava-clad burglars "stole thousands of pounds" during an early-hours break-in.

The Claydon Greyhound, in Claydon, Suffolk, was broken into at about 01:20 GMT on Monday, with the thieves suspected to have gained entry through the roadside cellar hatch.

CCTV footage appeared to show at least three masked intruders going behind the bar before making off with a safe and about £5,000, manager Rachael Howlett said.

She added that the burglary was "disheartening" and had left staff feeling unsafe. Suffolk Police said it was investigating.

"We've worked really hard to get this pub to how it is, and we've built a great vibe, but we now feel deflated," she said.

"They are absolute scumbags because they don't care – we're going to have to start again, but they don't think about the humanity side of things."

Howlett was first made aware of the break-in when her colleague, and the pub's assistant manager, Casey Ablett, called her to ask if she had moved the safe.

"Panic set in", and, fearing the worst, she rushed to the pub before calling the police.

"If we didn't know the money had gone, it would have looked untouched - they didn't smash anything or take any alcohol, just the cash," added Howlett.

"We've got some lovely customers, and it's a friendly environment, but now it's doom and gloom, and we're going to be looking at every customer thinking, 'Was it you?'"

Howlett said she feared someone may have been watching her as she locked up.

"Casey and I felt sick all day yesterday," she said.

"This is our life, we're here more than we are at home, and to now feel we could be unsafe here is a big worry.

"We do work until late, so to see people in the pub who shouldn't be there in those early hours is horrible – it's like having your home broken into."

A Suffolk Police spokesperson said they received reports of a burglary and "a safe containing money and some charity raffle cash were among items stolen". The force urged anyone with information to get in contact.

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