Police in Wales have launched an investigation after CCTV footage caught a couple stealing everything they could carry from their hotel room.
Natalie Newton, the owner of The Dolphin Hotel in Pembrokeshire, has been left stunned after the theft took place on Saturday (19 August).
Natalie, who took over the hotel from her parents five years ago, had welcomed the guests after they booked through the website Booking.com, and at first the couple seemed 'super friendly'.
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She noted they both had Welsh accents, and they arrived with just a small handbag.
However, when the couple went to check out, Natalie spotted that the man had a big bag, and made two trips to the room as they prepared to leave.
The owners of the hotel have since claimed that the couple stole practically everything in their room when they left, including luxury towels, a lamp, an electric fan, a kettle, an electrical extension block and even a TV remove control.
“They took stupid things. They took a fan that I leave for guests so they can cool down in the summer, I had a really nice tower charger extension lead, a digital clock, a kettle, a tea and coffee holder, lamps, and all my lovely towels - they took the room out," Natalie said.
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"I couldn’t let that room out the next day because it was so empty. I wasn’t in the position to rally around and replace all the goods that had been taken. That cost me another £80 because I couldn’t rent the room out. People don’t think of stuff like that - that’s the price on top of what I’ve got to spend now to replace what was in there too, I’m at a big loss really."
Natalie and her partner transformed the hotel when it underwent a rebrand in 2019, and they continued to operate as best as they could during the pandemic.
However, trade still isn't as busy as before the coronavirus outbreak, and with 'prices going up' with the cost of living increase, the theft was an unnecessary financial loss.
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Natalie has described the couple's actions as 'cheeky', saying: "Everyone is struggling and why should they get away with it?
"This is a family-run business and I’m trying to keep my head above water. I employ local people and family members."
In the wake of the incident, a spokesperson for Dyfed-Powys Police said: “On Tuesday morning we received a report of theft from a room at the Dolphin Hotel, Pembroke Dock, on Saturday, 19 August.”
The force added that it is investigating the incident.
Emily Brown