Hilarious moment a shoplifting seagull walks into a Greggs and steals a bag of Walkers crisps
Peckish bird entered the bakery by flapping its wings until the doors opened
A PECKISH seagull strutted into a Greggs by flapping its wings until the automatic doors opened before wandering out with a packet of Walkers Squares crisps in its mouth.
The plucky bird was spotted strolling into the bakery in South Shields, Tyne and Wear, yesterday morning as stunned customers watched on.
The shameless intruder helped itself to a packet of salt and vinegar crisps before casually wandering back out the door as staff moved to shoo him away.
Gordon Lindsay, 41, filmed the shoplifting seagull as it walked past a fridge selling drinks and sandwiches, before nabbing the blue packet of crisps and quickly making a dash for the exit.
Gordon, 41, said: "I've never seen anything like it. The seagull knew exactly what it was doing.
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"I'd stopped in to get a bacon sandwich on the way to work and I could see it trying to come in but the lady behind the till was having none of it.
"Then she turned round to fix something on the coffee machine and the seagull made a break for it.
"It knew exactly how to get the automatic doors to open by flapping its wings and then it headed straight for the crisps. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
"It had absolutely no shame and certainly didn't hang around once it had got what it wanted. I couldn't believe the cheek of it.
"I think it was a packet of salt and vinegar Walkers Squares. It flapped again to open the doors and off it went.";
Gordon, who works in retail, was in the King Street bakery at around 7am yesterday when he witnessed the theft.
He said the seaside town was plagued with problem seagulls, some of which regularly nick people's food in the street.
Gordon said: "You can't walk down King Street with food in your hand. You just can't do it. The seagulls will have it.
"I've seen them steal stuff in the street but I've never seen one waltz into a shop and pinch something. It was so strange.
"I'm not sure how it planned on opening the crisps to be honest. It had been trying to get in about 10 minutes before that.
"I watched it wait outside the doors and then the instinct was just to film it whenever it walked in. It definitely knows how to work the doors.
"I don't think the staff noticed it at first but the lady soon realised it had taken something and shouted.
"I went back in later that day and the lady had finished her shift but the other staff were still talking about it. Apparently it happens all the time."