A shop owner had her confidence knocked when lingerie was stolen from her town centre business.
Hetty Arnold had been helping a woman to choose post-surgery underwear when she was called away by one of her regular customers on Saturday morning.
She popped into the changing room for a couple of minutes but when she returned the woman had gone, taking the bra and knickers with her.
The set was worth £100 and its theft meant Hetty was out of pocket for the day’s trading at Etta Lingerie and Nightwear in Oakham. She also recently opened a branch in Stamford.
She said: “I just feel really stupid, like I helped her to do this.
“The woman came in and told me she’d had surgery so I was showing her a non-wired bralette which would be better for her scar tissue. I gave her the option to try it on but she said her husband was waiting outside and that she would come back.”
The woman left while Hetty was out of sight. Once she realised what had happened, Hetty posted a message on a traders’ social media group and quickly received CCTV images of the suspect elsewhere in the town. She had visited every shop in Oakham accompanied by a bald man and a French bulldog.
Hetty contacted Leicestershire Police but later received a phone call to say the case had been closed due to a lack of evidence.
A police spokesman has since said that the investigation is continuing, adding: “The shop owner has provided CCTV images which have been passed on to the local beat team for identification purposes.”
Hetty said: “It makes me feel vulnerable as a trader. It’s already a difficult time for traders in Oakham and this was a kick while we’re down, but the other businesses have been really supportive.
“It’s a small loss to the business but a big loss to my confidence. In 10 months of trading I’ve never felt the need to watch people closely while they’re in the shop but this happened on a quiet Saturday in Oakham and I ended up at a loss.”
Hetty will now be installing her own CCTV camera at the shop in Mill Street.
Anyone who recognises the suspect can contact Leicestershire Police by calling 101 quoting incident number 24000643678 of October 26.
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