Shirebrook Vets staff 'shocked' after Hovis sign stolen from outside practice

A spokesman from Derbyshire Police said: “The large Hovis sign was stolen from a shop on the Market Place, Shirebrook, at 3.45am on May 3.

“A person, wearing a dark blue hooded top with large white lettering on the front, light grey trousers, and grey trainers, was seen on CCTV using a set of ladders to climb up the side of the building.

“After removing the sign, the person left along Victoria Street.

“Anyone with any information, in particular CCTV or dashcam footage, that can help officers with their enquiries is asked to contact the force with reference 22*252563.”

Aimee White FdSc BSc (Hons) RVN, lead veterinary nurse, said: “We arrived at the practice at 8am to find ladders left outside of the building and the sign gone.

“Looking back on the cameras we can see a thin, white male with a black mask covering the lower half of his face bringing the ladders and taking the sign around 3.45am.

"They left with the sign and nothing else, leaving the ladders behind also. There is no damage to the property, thankfully.

"The sign was up there as it's been on this building for many years.

"We have heard from some very old clients that the building used to be a family run bakers/green grocers before the building was left to ruin.

"Part of the council agreeing to the building being repurposed for the veterinary surgery was to restore and replace the sign.

"The restoration was carried out and the sign was re-erected in December 2021.

"We were a bit shocked as obviously the ladders were left, but we strongly suspect the sign has either been sold on or it's been scrapped.

"It's a shame that it's gone as it's been part of the building for a long time now.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Derbyshire Police. You can call them on 101, send a private message to their Facebook page, send a direct message to the contact centre via @DerPolContact on Twitter, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.