A brazen thief has been caught on camera breaking into an honesty box at a Fraserburgh farm shop during a daylight raid.
The man was caught on CCTV cracking the box open with a screwdriver and looting the contents.
The incident occurred at about noon on Wednesday. It is understood there was also a second man involved who was driving the car used to escape.
In total, the two men made off with more than £300 in cash.
Police have issued an appeal for information.
The South Percyhorner Farm Shop is owned by 34-year-old Gary Summers from Fraserburgh.
He has been farming since he left school and started working with his grandfather.
‘He didn’t leave anything’
The father-of-two said: “He was prepared. He knew exactly what he was doing and had obviously been in before to scope the place because he knew where he was going, and the tools he needed.
“He obviously came in with a bag for life to take the change as well.
“He didn’t leave anything. You don’t know what somebody like that is capable of.”
Mr Summers had been busy working on his farm the day before and did not get the chance to empty the box at night. The amount stolen was more than would usually be inside.
He never didn’t realise he had been robbed until 5pm when he checked the box and saw it was empty.
He added: “Since we are located around two miles outside of Fraserburgh, you have to really drive out. I think that takes away the kind of thieves who will just go into a shop and pinch something.
“But this has obviously been a planned thing.”
The farm shop has been open for around six years. It sells homegrown vegetables, jams, and its own beef. They also sell fruit and baked goods from other local suppliers.
Mr Summers believes this is the first serious incident they have had with thieves.
Series of honesty box thefts
But other farm shops in Aberdeenshire have been victims in the past.
In November last year, another farm shop’s honesty box was stolen near Strichen.
In 2019, Highland communities were left feeling “violated” after boxes plundered.
It has raised some concerns about the future of the honesty box.
Mr Summers said: “I think people like the concept of it because they can come in and have a walkabout and nobody is standing over the top of them.
“The honesty box policy works fine. It works really good.
“I think 99% of the public are honest. You obviously just get thieves who will take advantage of it.
“It spoils it for everyone else because it just puts you off from doing it and having an honesty box.
“It just puts you off of things when you see somebody like that coming in, who has probably not worked a day in their life and they’re just stealing from other people trying to make a living.”
Police launch investigation
In a post on social media, the shop has appealed for help tracing the robbers.
Mr Summers said the police came to the shop the next day and took samples of DNA.
A police spokeswoman said: “We received a report of an honesty box being stolen from a farm shop in Fraserburgh at around 12.15pm on Wednesday, July 27.
“Officers are following a positive line of inquiry. Anyone who knows who was responsible should contact police on 101, quoting 3087 of July 27.”
Mr Summers says he wants to stop this from happening to anyone else and catch the thieves.
He said: “It’s not about the money at all. It’s nothing about the money, its more to stop this happening to other people.
“It hard times for everyone right now, so if he was struggling for food or anything I would be happy to give anyone anything.
“But don’t steal it. Don’t pinch it.”
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