A shop owner whose store has been reportedly robbed twice in the space of days says he has 'never had such horrible customers' as the two men said to be involved.
Nottinghamshire Police released CCTV footage from within Haydn Food & Wine on Haydn Road, Sherwood after two thieves repeatedly stole bottles of alcohol from the shop.
Police and shop workers have said two men entered the store shortly after 8pm on Tuesday, October 19, and again just after 11pm on Saturday, October 23.
Owner Kamrul Bari, 42, said: "I've been trading here for six years and I've never had such horrible customers as these.
"The first time it happened, one of the men asked for a bottle of brandy, so a colleague put it on the counter, and then the man asked for another bottle or tobacco - and when my colleague's back was turned, the other man grabbed the bottle and ran away.
"When it happened the second time, the same thing happened again, this time with a bottle of rum, and this time my colleague was a new starter.
"I'm surprised this has happened because you never usually see any customers like that here, but I feel as though they have targeted my shop.
"To a small business, losing these bottles can be a big cost - we've printed a photo off a CCTV photo of the men and put it on our shop front and by the till, and we have not seen them since."
One of the shop assistants at the store has said it has placed all staff there on high alert.
Sheikh Rayhan, 32, shop assistant at Haydn Food & Wine, said: "The first time it happened to my colleague, he wanted to run after him but that would not have been a good thing, and he could not get out because of a lock on the door where the till is.
"I was told they looked like normal customers.
"It's obviously not a good thing and it's made us all be more on standby, we have to be so much more careful."
Officers investigating the thefts have released CCTV footage of the two men they would like to speak to in connection with the incidents as they progress with their enquiries.
Police Constable Tanya Hodgkiss, from Nottinghamshire Police, said: "We believe the men in the footage can help us with our enquiries and we would encourage them to come forward.
"The force treats reports of shop theft seriously. We will investigate reports and support local businesses who fall victim to shoplifting offences.
"We are working hard to reduce this type of crime and will continue to do so to reduce incidents and take robust action against offenders."
Police have asked anyone who recognises either of the men to contact them on 101, quoting incident number 669 of 19 October 2021, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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