Two men distract staff while boy steals mobile phone at tattoo studio in Royston

A member of staff from a Royston tattoo studio has spoken of her disbelief after her mobile phone was stolen yesterday in a distraction theft involving a boy, with police now appealing for witnesses.

Two men and a boy went into Royston Ink in High Street between 11.30am and 11.45am and – while the adults distracted staff by asking about artwork on the walls, asking to see a ‘colour book’ and showing them their own tattoos – the boy swiped a phone belonging to piercer Ruth Orme before all three left.

“I’m really annoyed that this has happened,” said Ruth, 31.

“We treat all our customers politely, and you like to think people are genuine.

“They were doing anything to distract us, they asked us to go bring out a colour book, which they just made up.

“I can’t believe they used a little boy to steal the phone, it’s really wrong.”

One of the men is described by police as white, aged between 45 and 50 years old, between 5ft 8in and 5ft 10in and of a stocky build. He was wearing tracksuit type clothing.

The second man is white, about 5ft 8in, stocky and was also wearing a tracksuit. Ruth said the pair had European accents.

When they left the studio, they headed left along Royston High Street.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on the non-emergency number 101 quoting reference G4/16/0739.