Hotel foyer theft puzzle

The bizarre theft happened at the Clifton Park Hotel in St Annes at around 3.30am on Monday morning.

Staff couldn’t believe what was captured on the hotel’s CCTV cameras.

Images captured clearly show the woman, her face in full view, carrying out planters.

She also made off with a string of festive light and a small Christmas tree.

Derek Slater, Director of Operations and proprietor at the Clifton Park explained what had happened.

He said: “This is a very strange incident, nobody quite understands what has happened.

“The first I heard was when I received a call from a member of staff at 6am to say there had been an incident at the hotel. We then traced back the CCTV .

“You can see from the times on the camera pictures she made several journeys and even managed to put her hair up between trips.

“She took two topiary trees from either side of the hotel entrance which were illuminated in tree lights.

“She also took a large Lechuza planter which was full of plants which she ripped half of out and took the planter.

“She also took a tall artificial varigated Yucca in a black pot.

“In the process she ripped the tree lights out and ripped the electric box off the wall in the process.”

Mr Slater ended up following the

He said: “I received reports there was a planter by the lights at St Thomas Road which I have collected.

“Unfortunately half the plant has gone and the top of the planter missing.

“I then discovered the two topiary trees on Kings Road.

“The sickening thing is of course you are wary of putting anything out again.”

Lancashire Police confirmed it was investigating the theft and had been made aware of the CCTV footage.

The incident comes less than a month after owners of the Escape Cafe in Kirkham had flowers from window boxes flung at their front door.

Anyone with information on the St Annes incident can call police on 101 quoting log 134 of December 12.