Police are hunting a gang thought to be behind a string of distraction thefts over a large swathe of Norfolk and Suffolk.
A gang of three men has been linked to a series of incidents of thefts and attempted thefts at pubs and other businesses in Lowestoft, Beccles and south Norfolk.
It is said one of the three men would remain in a car, while the other two would enter businesses trying to pay with counterfeit money and sell magazines.
The gang then distracted staff and owners to swipe phones and cash.
Hailey Starling, of The George and Dragon pub in Thurton, off the A146 near Loddon, said she felt "so stupid" and "violated" as one of the men stole her phone from "right under her nose" as the thieves struck about 8pm on Monday.
She said: "On the last Monday of the month we always host a bingo night, when suddenly a group of chaps walked in with a load of magazines.
"They were waving the magazines in people's faces, one chap held a magazine right under my nose.
"It wasn't until about 10 minutes after he left did I realise my phone had been swiped.
"It was a calculated move, very clever and very fast.
"I am absolutely gutted, I feel like I have been violated in my own pub.
"To be honest it makes me feel so stupid because it was literally done right under my nose.
"Having then tracked the movement of the phone on my iPad, within four hours the phone was in Ilford, Essex."
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Arwen Watson, owner of a beauty salon called The Blossom Clinic in Beccles, said the three men tried their distraction tactics in her business at 7.10pm on Monday.
The salon owner, 39, said: "On my CCTV we saw a car waiting outside with a driver ready, two men then came into the shop.
"These two men came in trying to be really charming and smooth, but were acting strange.
"They said they wanted to book appointments for their wife or girlfriends.
"The member of staff who was working is quite young and went to the counter and they tried to follow her around the counter and asked to use the bathroom upstairs.
"One chap took his jacket off and the other put a magazine on the counter where there was a phone on the side.
"The client noticed their behaviour was strange and said the shop is closed and this is a private appointment and asked them to leave.
"It has left my young member of staff really shaken."
It is understood that when the group left the salon on Blyburgate they crossed to The Wine Vaults and tried to force their way into the bar and restaurant cellar before being thrown out.
They then crossed the road to the Beccles Kings Head JD Wetherspoon pub.
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A Wetherspoon spokesperson said: "A local pub manager from The Ingate pub contacted the Wetherspoon duty manager at The Kings Head Hotel to inform them that two men were coming into local pubs, selling magazines and stealing, as well as using fake notes.
"The duty manager noticed them, as they walked into The Kings Head Hotel and asked them to leave.
"They left without question."
After leaving Beccles they struck at the Gillingham Swan, successfully stealing an iPhone from a staff member.
The Gillingham Swan declined to comment on the incident.
They then headed to The George and the Dragon Pub.
The gang had also been in Lowestoft, chancing their luck at the tanning salon Tan Republic in St Peter's Square.
Jo Ozboyaci, who has run the shop for five years. said that two men entered her shop at about 6.40pm on Monday.
She said: “They were just really sneaky and clever, it took a while to clock what they were up to.
“Initially they came in as customers asking about booking a service and then one asked to wash his hands and the other guy came to the counter with money saying he wanted to buy something and then went behind the counter.
“He was ever so shifty and using this magazine to hide the fact he was nicking my phone.
"We are all really shocked and cannot believe it really, we are lucky they got away without nicking anything."
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Suffolk police have confirmed that the incident in Lowestoft at Tan Republic was reported to them and they later received a phone call while the men were seen in Wetherspoons in Beccles.
Norfolk police have said they are working with the victims from the Gillingham Swan and The George and the Dragon Pub and an investigation has been launched.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Norfolk police quoting crime reference number: 36/45855/23
Have you been a victim of the gang? If you want to tell your story then please email bruno.brown@newsquest.co.uk
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