A TAVISTOCK pub landlady and landlord have thanked the community for their kindness after they suffered the ‘huge blow’ of a major theft on their premises.

Alison Ellis-Jones runs the Tavistock Inn with her partner Keith Stevens.

The couple were devastated when a thief stole £3,500 in cash and Falklands veteran Keith’s treasured South Atlantic Medal from the upstairs flat at the Brook Street hostelry on Monday afternoon. A Rolex watch was also taken.

Alison said on Tuesday: ‘Keith and I would like to thank all the local pubs, businesses and community of Tavistock for your kind words of support after being robbed yesterday. He got away with money, jewellery and Keith’s Falklands Medal which is a huge blow but we are safe and will fight on. ‘

They have been closed since the theft, but plan to open again tomorrow, Thursday, after Goose Fair has packed up and left town.

Keith, who served in the Royal Navy, believes the theft took place on Monday afternoon, after he showed a man wanting a place to stay to one of his four rooms on the first floor.

He said: ‘He came in and asked us for a room which we gave him and then said “I am going to get my bag and my mate” and left. That is the last thing I saw of him. Later we realised he had gone up to our top floor flat and stolen from us.’

The couple only realised that the money had been stolen the following morning, when they were about to go shopping for supplies.

‘I went to get the money and we realised it had gone, around £3,500 in cash, our takings. Also my South Atlantic Medal had gone and a Rolex watch and other items of jewellery.’

The theft, apparently the work of an opportunist, has seen him shut the pub for the whole week.

He attributes it to the influx of people in town as a result of Goose Fair, which sees the travelling community set up in town.

‘The police have been informed and we have got really good CCTV,’ he said. ‘We are shutting over Goose Far and next year we are going to be shut all week. We won’t have anything to do with it.

‘We worked bloody hard for that money and everyone is struggling at the moment. There is no need for that.’

The police were at the scene as the Times went to press on Tuesday evening.