A brass model of Dundee’s old Town House which was stolen from The Pillars pub has been returned by its “sheepish” thief.
The 100-year-old ornament was taken from its open display cabinet in the bar at around 10pm on August 19.
Pub manager John Justice issued a plea through The Courier for its safe return, offering a £100 reward for information which could lead to its discovery.
He also posted CCTV footage of the customer taking the hand-crafted model on social media in a bid to trace him, which was shared by dozens.
Brass model thief says he ‘had a lot to drink’
The ornament depicts the former Town House, which featured a ground floor piazza better known as the Pillars, the pub’s namesake.
The man has since delivered it to the pub and owned up to what he says was a drunken mistake.
John, 66, who reported the incident to police last week, said: “Shortly after I arrived on Friday morning, at the back of 9am, this guy came in.
“He said ‘I did something really bad last Friday, I’m really sorry, I don’t know why I did it, but I’d had a lot to drink’.”
The man, who “looked about 70 years old”, handed over the model in a plastic bag.
John, who has managed The Pillars for 12 years, added: “He seemed very sheepish and guilty about it.”
Unfortunately the ornament was damaged, with two chimneys missing and a strip of brass from one of the sides ripped off, which the man denied causing.
‘I accept his apology’
However, it is clear the customer is keen to make up for his actions, as he returned to the pub the following day with a framed art print of the Town House.
John joked: “I don’t know if maybe he has an obsession about the Pillars.
“I’m just hoping he didn’t take it from anywhere else”.
But he added: “It is a very nice piece – we’ll put it up somewhere.
“I accept his apology, especially now he has given me that, and I will hopefully find somebody to repair the model.”
John is now looking to spend the cash reward on getting the ornament repaired by “someone with an eye for detail and an interest in models”.
He has also decided he won’t take the case any further with police.
He said: “I didn’t pursue it because he’d been decent enough to bring it in.
“As far as I am concerned, it’s resolved.”
In the meantime, he is looking forward to seeing the spruced up model back on its shelf, which he says has been a “talking point” among customers.
The Crichton Street pub is named in honour of Dundee’s old Town House, which was demolished in 1932.
In the same year, a commemorative copper model was installed above the door of the pub.
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