A Newport man has pleaded guilty to three separate burglaries across the city, after stealing champagne, spirits, vapes and cash from two pubs and a hardware store.
The raids targeted The Potters pub, The Lamb pub, and a local hardware store, with the total haul estimated at around £1,000 in goods and cash. Among the items taken were bottles of champagne, various spirits, and an eye-catching 100 vapes.
The burglaries rattled local business owners in Newport, who have faced ongoing concerns about premises security in the area. Pubs and small independent shops are often seen as soft targets for opportunistic thieves, particularly when it comes to high-value stock that can be quickly moved on.
The Potters and The Lamb are both well-known local venues in Newport, and the theft of premium stock like champagne and spirits represents a real financial hit for businesses already dealing with tough trading conditions. On top of the stock losses, owners would have also faced the stress and disruption of dealing with a break-in.
The large quantity of vapes stolen, 100 in total, suggests the burglaries may not have been entirely random. Vaping products have become an increasingly common target for thieves in recent years, given their relatively high value and easy resale potential.
The man has now admitted his role in all three offences and is awaiting sentencing.