Thieves steal landmark giant metal teapot sign outside Cannock Chase tearoom
Thieves have made off with a giant metal teapot sign outside a popular tearoom at Cannock Chase.
The landmark advertising Spring Slade Lodge was stolen overnight from the site, in Camp Road.
Owner Kaye Le Page said she was upset the aluminium sign, which cost her around £400, had gone missing and said it would only be worth a very small amount in scrap value.
"It happened at around 11.30pm on Tuesday night. I had let my dogs out and they were going mad, and there was something happening outside. I then heard a lorry or car drive away," she said.
The distinctive sign is in the shape of a teapot and was plastic coated in bottle green, white and beige.
"I am so upset about it. Everyone is saying they are going to help me find it. We will replace it though, definitely as it is our signature. We have had so many people comment about the sign in the past, and everyone calls us the 'teapot cafe' because of it. I can't believe someone would do this to us," she added, saying she would be getting advice from police.
"I just hope because it is such a distinctive shape that a scrap metal dealer spots it. I know I can claim off my insurance but I still need to pay the excess and it took a lot of time and effort to create the design and get it made around four years ago," she said.
This is the latest incident to hit the tearoom popular with visitors in recent months.
Last September the premises suffered £2,000 of damage when an unexpected rain deluge forced staff to take emergency action to stop rising flood water.
They tried to protect the building with sandbags but the cafe, which has been running for 13 years, was forced to be shut for three days during the clean-up effort.
Staffordshire Police confirmed the theft of the sign and urged any witnesses with information to come forward.
Last year, the tearoom was crowned Tea Room/Coffee Shop of the Year in the Taste of Staffordshire Good Food Awards.
Anyone with details should contact officers on 101, quoting incident number 332 of February 27, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on freephone 0800 555 111.
