'Attempted break-in' at The Walnut Tree pub, Loose Road, Loose
18:36, 25 August 2020
updated: 19:05, 25 August 2020
A landlady has spoken of her fear after she claims two men scouted out her pub to burgle the business at a later date.
Police are appealing for information after two men reportedly attempted to burgle The Walnut Tree, in Loose, yesterday morning.
Watch: The Walnut Tree pub has released CCTV of the reported incident
Eloise Jeffrey, owner, 26, said: "The pub is such a community pub and we never had any issues until this. It just makes me feel scared, that someone was trying to break into my business. My cousin lives upstairs in a flat so they could have come into her home."
Ms Jeffrey says one man jumped over the garden fence and then unlocked the gate for his partner to come through.
"It seems as if they were coming back another day because they left the gate jammed open. It's like they went in there to check out what we've got," she said.
She has released CCTV of the reported incident in the hope of preventing something similar happening again. The locks have since been changed at The Walnut Tree.
A Kent Police spokesman said: "At 2.14pm on Monday 25 August, we received a report that two men had attempted to burgle a pub in Loose Road, Maidstone, at around 6am on the same date.
"The men are reported to have attempted to enter the premises through the back of the property but were unable to gain entry.
"Anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area can call Kent Police on 01622 604100 quoting 24-0733."
You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555 111 or using the anonymous online form at Crimestoppers-uk.org
