Thieves make off with vinegar water in failed gin heist leaving shop windows smashed

Thieves targeted York Gin in an attempted gin burglary, only to make off with an unexpected loot – vinegar water.

This is the first time the shop has been targeted in five years, the manager, Jenny O’Hara said, and the incident shattered two of the establishment's shop windows.

However, the thieves would have been in for a shock if they went to taste the gin as Jenny explained the display bottles in the windows are full of vinegar water – something, she added is well signposted.

She said: “This is the first time our shop has been targeted in five years We do say quite prominently on signs in the window that the display bottles are full of water and hopefully any would-be thieves will stop and take two seconds to read the signs in the future.

"We can only imagine the disappointment of anyone who tasted the vinegar water from the stolen bottles. They’d be expecting some of the world’s best gin - quite a shock.”

York Gin is situated in Thomas Herbert's House, a Grade I listed building dating back to around 1545, owned by York Conservation Trust.

Consequently, due to the building’s status, the window cannot be repaired in time for the Residents Festival in York this weekend.