A distressed landlord has released CCTV footage after a three-figure sum of cash and jewellery were stolen from his flat above The King’s Arms pub in Frating while he worked.
The King’s Arms in Frating, near Colchester, was broken into while a band were playing downstairs during a normal Saturday night’s work for landlord Neal Smith and partner Jill Tills around midnight on April 6.
When the gig ended, the pair returned to their flat above to find a smashed window – and their valuable possessions had vanished.
CCTV fitted around the premises captured two men, one wearing a balaclava and the other a bandana.
Footage appears to show them scaling the roof and tampering with one of the cameras.
In the clip, a man is later captured trying to force open a sliding window before appearing to break in and return with a pair of keys, which are later used to open the front door.
From there, two men can be seen through the living room window searching through belongings – where it is said keys, a briefcase and a handbag were stolen alongside jewellery and cash.
The pub has since launched a social media appeal, offering a reward of £1,000 for information.
Landlord Neal Smith said: “We were open at the time and me and my wife were working downstairs.
“They (the suspected thieves) were only in for about 15 minutes but came in and out three times.
“They ransacked our flat and took significant sums of jewellery and cash, but they have a bigger sentimental value.
“We had a band playing that night who finished just after midnight.
“Me and my partner went upstairs to bed at around 12.30am when my wife noticed a smashed window.
“We could have walked in on them.”
A spokeswoman for Essex Police said: “We are investigating after reports of a burglary at a flat on Main Road, Frating, in the early hours of Sunday, April 7.
“Several keys, a briefcase and a handbag were taken and later recovered.
“A green jewellery box and a three-figure sum of cash were also taken and remain missing.”
Call Clacton CID on 101 with information, quoting crime reference 42/54267/19.
Alternatively, pass on details anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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