Watch: Thief steals poppy box from butcher's shop on Remembrance weekend

10 November 2020, 12:24 | Updated: 10 November 2020, 12:42

Poppy box stolen from butcher’s shop

By Nick Hardinges

@NHardinges

This is the moment a thief stole a poppy collection box from a butcher's shop in Liverpool over Remembrance weekend.

The man walked into the shop on Mill Lane in West Derby, Liverpool, at around 9:30am on Saturday before stealing the charity box from the counter.

In a video acquired by LBC, a man can be seen walking into the shop and appearing to place an order with the butcher who then moves out of the picture.

The man then places his hand on the counter and begins shuffling the poppy collection box nearer to him before grabbing the tin and placing it in the inside pocket of his coat.

He then picks up his bag before appearing to pay for his order and exiting the shop.

Police have issued a CCTV image of a man they wish to speak with in connection with the theft.

A spokeswoman for Merseyside Police described the suspect as a white male, with slightly receding black hair, who had black-framed glasses on top of his head.

He was also wearing a dark coloured winter coat over a grey coloured top with a motif on.

It came just a day before the region stopped to commemorate fallen soldiers, with socially-distanced and virtual tributes taking place across Liverpool and Merseyside.

The police spokeswoman said: "It is with sadness that today (Remembrance Sunday, 8 November) when we commemorate those who lost their lives in conflict that we are having to appeal for witnesses to the theft of a poppy box from a shop in West Derby yesterday (Saturday, 7 November)."

Anyone who recognises him is asked to contact @MerpolCC or call either 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 quoting reference 0487 of Saturday 7 November.