A VACUUM cleaner was swept up in what may have been a brazen theft outside a Wey-mouth business.

Cormac Linehan drove away from his pet shop, forgetting to load the newly-serviced cleaner into his van and leaving it on the forecourt. He was shocked to discover that less than a minute later someone appeared and took it.

Police are now reviewing CCTV footage.

Mr Linehan, director of The Pet Experience on the Granby Industrial Estate, believes there could be an innocent explanation and someone took it believing it had been thrown out.

But the timing of the pick-up and the item’s condition has led him to believe that he could have been the victim of an opportunist thief – or that someone had been observing him.

“It’s all a bit weird,” said Mr Linehan.

“This could be a genuine mistake so this is an opportunity for this person to come forward.

“But I also think it could have been someone who wanted to steal it. The vacuum cleaner was 10 feet from the front door and the shop was still open for the day.

“It cost me a lot of money and although it’s a few years old I just had it serviced and was told it would last a few more years.”

Mr Linehan bought the top-of-the-range Dyson Ball DC15 Animal vacuum for about £300. He paid £83 to have it serviced, including a full clean, a few hours before he was deprived of it. An extra cleaner part was later sent to him by the company.

On loading up his van outside his business off Cambridge Road, he got distracted by phone calls and talking to customers. He drove off shortly afterwards.

It was not until the next day he realised his mistake, and on making inquiries he found that security cameras from a nearby business had recorded what had happened on the forecourt.

He said: “It shows that less than one minute after I pulled away, a car pulled up beside the vacuum cleaner, the driver got out, picked it up, put it in the car and then drove off.

“I don’t know if this was an opportunistic theft or whether someone had seen the vacuum cleaner by the van and lay in wait until I pulled off in case I forgot it. The timing is certainly suspicious.”

Dorset Police are investigating the theft, which happened about 4.55pm on February 28. Anyone with information can call police on 101.