In a crime that echoes the miserly spirit of Ebenezer Scrooge, Edinburgh's festive season has been marred by the audacious theft of an eight-foot-tall nutcracker statue from outside a city centre cocktail bar.
The Grinch on an E-Bike: How the Theft Unfolded
The incident occurred on Monday night at approximately 10:10 pm on the city's prestigious George Street. CCTV footage, which has since been released, captures the moment a thief, riding an e-bike, single-handedly ruins Christmas for the Copper Blossom bar.
The individual is seen removing the giant decorative soldier, named Nolan, from its position. In a brazen act, the culprit is then filmed placing the statue across their lap and cycling off into the night, heading towards St Andrew Square. The thief was wearing a dark hoodie during the incident.
Catastrophic Blow for City Centre Venue
Speaking to Sky News, the bar's manager, Paul Paxton, described the theft as "catastrophic" and a significant financial hit for the business. He revealed that each nutcracker figure costs around £900.
Nolan was one of a pair; his "brother", Nelson, remains "safe and sound" but has now been moved into the bar's foyer as a precaution. The statues were a central part of the venue's outdoor Christmas display.
As if the loss of Nolan wasn't enough, the thief also broke a table worth hundreds of pounds during the process, compounding the financial damage. Mr Paxton confirmed he will be speaking with police about their investigation and noted that there have been reported sightings of the stolen nutcracker "around Edinburgh" later that same night.
A Plea for Witnesses and Lost Hope
The bar initially made a public appeal for the nutcracker's safe return, stating "if you return it, we're all good." However, Mr Paxton has since admitted he does not expect to see Nolan again.
Expressing a degree of disappointment, the manager revealed that about 12 or 13 people walked past during the theft, which he described as not being a "quick process"—even noting the thief fell off the bike at one point.
"Even if someone had run in, that could have helped," Mr Paxton told Jayne Secker on The UK Tonight. "A heads-up would have been lovely." While he stressed he would never want anyone to put themselves in harm's way, the lack of any immediate alert from passers-by has added to the frustration of the pre-Christmas nightmare.
