A THIEF was caught on camera stuffing hundreds of pounds worth of popular teddies in her trousers at a city garden centre.
Around £400 worth of Jellycat soft toys were taken from St Peter’s Garden Centre after a woman stuffed a “significant amount” of the stock into her trousers.
CCTV footage shows the woman shoving several of the soft toys into her trousers and bags as she walks around the store adjusting her trousers as she goes.
The woman was caught walking into the store thanks to CCTV. (Image: St Peters Garden Centre) William Blake, managing director of the centre on Farm Pear Tree Drive, has been left upset by the theft.
“We were deeply disappointed by the incident, where a significant amount of stock — over £400 worth of Jellycat toys — was stolen from our store,” he said.
“As an independent, family-run business, every loss impacts not just our shelves but the hard-working team behind the scenes.
“Our staff work tirelessly to create a warm and welcoming environment for all visitors, and it’s disheartening when that is taken advantage of.
The woman was caught stuffing the Jellycats down her trousers and in bags. (Image: St Peters Garden Centre) “We’re co-operating fully with local authorities and we’d like to thank our customers for the response to the video and all their continued support.”
What are Jellycats?
Jellycats are different-shaped soft toys which are in huge demand at the moment due to their quirky designs and soft material.
Over the past year, the brand has experienced significant growth in popularity.
Among the Jellycats’ best-selling teddy bears are those shaped as peanuts, baguettes, marshmallows, and variously shaped bunnies and cats.
St Peter’s Garden Centre said it has one of the biggest Jellycat ranges in Worcestershire.
However, it stated that it receives the same amount of income as large supermarkets to have full-time security personnel operating the stands.
The incident happened on June 7.
St Peter’s Garden Centre have confirmed that West Mercia Police have been informed of the incident.
A spokesperson for West Mercia Police said: “We received a report of theft from St Peter’s Garden Centre on Wednesday (11 June).
“Enquiries are on-going.”