Cafe's plea for customers to stop stealing items

A cafe is asking customers who have been stealing decorations and toiletries from its premises to stop.

Mocha Coffee Lounge in Streetly, Birmingham, first noticed toilet roll, vases, flowers and hand cream going missing last year.

However, owner Gina Ellias said a plaque being stolen off the wall on Saturday while the cafe was full "took the biscuit".

"It's terrible. It's disheartening, more than anything. I've had to move everything off the shelves and put them high up so people can't come in and take things."

"They put it in a carrier bag and off they went. When we realised what happened I went outside to see if I could see them. They were in the distance when they were walking off, but I decided to just leave it," Ellias said.

The cafe owner decided against confronting the customers who took the plaque, but posted on social media about a number of incidents during the last year.

"The hand creams, the finishing touches that I like. Toilet rolls. A beautiful vase with artificial flowers. One day it was there, and then the next it was gone.

"I don't know whether they come in targeting something, or whether it caught their eye and they wanted to take it, " Ellias added.

The stolen items have had a financial impact on the business, and the owner said she may stop decorating if the thieves do not stop.

"The majority of our customers are beautiful, but there are those small percentage that let them down.

"I'll have to think of nailing something down, nailing it to the wall or actually not bothering if I'm honest," Ellias added.

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