THE owner of the Swan Yard Cafe in Cirencester’s West Market Place has spoken of his shock after discovering that a thief had stolen the staff tips jar.

Will Taylor, owner of the cafe, said that there was around £70 worth of tips in the jar when it was stolen on Wednesday, December 18 at around 2.30pm.

He said: “Something like this is inevitable. It’s really annoying. I feel for the staff, they’ve worked hard throughout the year and have now been left short at Christmas time.”

Later in the afternoon, Mr Taylor discovered the emptied tip jar in a bin inside the men’s toilets in the Abbey Grounds.

He said that officers from Gloucestershire Police would be using the jar as evidence in their investigation.

Anyone with information should contact Gloucestershire Police on 101.