TWO punters were caught on camera stealing charity collection boxes containing more than £400 from behind a pub’s bar.

The men were captured on CCTV at the Rat Trap, in Highworth Road, Stratton, making off with a whisky jar full of notes, which was due to go to Prospect Hospice and 1st Stratton Scout Group, as well as a Guide Dogs for the Blind labrador-shaped tin at around 4.45pm on Thursday.

Mark Richardson, who has been landlord for 11 years, said his cameras show the men bought two drinks before snatching the collections when the barmaid turned away.

He said: “It’s absolutely abhorrent – to steal something like that is appalling.

“The jar was labelled ‘for the local hospice and the scouts’ as I was planning to split it between the two.

“I had been collecting that for a little while and it was thanks to the generosity of the regulars.

“They need to be stopped because it’s disgraceful.

“I think it was planned – they were the only two in the pub and they didn’t even drink the cokes they bought.

“There were also a couple of other boxes next to the guide dog but they didn’t take them as they were chained down – they had quite a lot of money in them.

“I found the jar smashed on the floor round the back of the pub and all the cash had gone, apart from some foreign coins and notes.

“This is only the second time I’ve had anything like this in 11 years. I had a break-in eight years ago and whoever did that took a charity box then too.

“It just makes you feel quite sick because all my charity stuff stays local in Swindon.

“So they are stealing from the community, not me.”

A spokesman for Wiltshire Police confirmed that the two charity boxes were taken from the pub.

The whisky bottle contained approximately £400 and the charity box contained around £10 to £15.

“It is being investigated and CCTV images are being circulated to officers,” he said.

Anyone with any information should contact Wiltshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers, where information can be left anonymously, on 088 555 111.