THIRSTY thieves made off with £500 worth of stock in a late-night raid on a Dorchester pub.

Three thieves are believed to have broken into the Sydney Arms pub on Bridport Road and stole drinks including bottles of cider, children’s fruit drinks and bottled orange juice.

Landlady Emma Fergusson said the break-in occurred in the early hours of Friday, August 13, and was discovered when the pub was opened up for the day.

She said it appeared that the thieves had forced a padlock to gain entry to the rear of the premises.

Miss Fergusson said police were currently studying CCTV footage from the night of the break-in, which appeared to show two men and one woman gaining entry to the pub.

She said: “They took approximately £500 worth of stock – alcohol and soft drinks.

“It’s never good to go out to the store to open up and find half your stock has gone.

“Fortunately the insurance company will hopefully help with compensation but it’s the inconvenience of it all.”

Miss Fergusson said the drinks taken included Magners and St Heliers cider, Robinson Fruit Shoots and bottles of orange juice.

She added: “It’s definitely something we could have done without and it’s never nice to think people have been gaining access to somewhere they shouldn’t have been.”

Miss Fergusson said the CCTV footage from the night showed the three thieves inside the pub for around 20 minutes.

She said one of the men was wearing a hooded top with the hood up and the woman with him was wearing a parka-style jacket, also with the hood up.

She added: “The third one didn’t have a hood on so hopefully the police will be able to identify who he is.”

Miss Fergusson said that it was the first time that she had experienced a break-in during the three-and-a-half years she had been running the establishment.

Sergeant Steve Yeoman of the Dorchester Safer Neighbourhood Police team urged witnesses or anyone with information to contact Dorchester Police on 01305 222222.