The owners of an Aberdeenshire bar are giving thieves who stole an ornamented life preserver until Monday to return the ring before involving the police.
Allowing the thieves the chance to return the safety device, their seemingly drunken theft was captured by the Harbour Bar’s external CCTV cameras.
The bar resides in Gourdon and all life preservers in the area are invaluable.
This particular life preserver was acquired from an old safety vessel, the Ocean Swift, which operated out in the north sea for years and was crewed by one of the bar’s regular customers.
The team at the Harbour Bar had nailed down a number of decorative items outside the pub, however the life ring had been left untouched incase of an emergency.
“Petty” and “callous”
Johnny Gardner, owner of the Harbour Bar said: “I have been in the pub industry since 2003 and know people can have a bit too much to drink and wake up with items in their homes.
“People usually wake up a bit embarrassed, it is something about pubs that makes people think everything is fair game.
“We’re hoping that sober heads will prevail and the ring will be returned.
“The CCTV clearly shows a man holding a beer bottle in one hand before bending down and taking off with the ring in the other.”
“Hopefully it will be brought back and we won’t have to involve the police.”
The bar launched their campaign to see the ring returned on social media.
Mr Gardner added: “While the ring isn’t one of the official rings along the quayside, if needed it would still be there to help save a life.
“Taking it is callous and petty, it is always handy to have one around and we hope to see it returned.”