August Brewsletter 2025
Back in 1962, Batemans fell victim to organised crime when a gang of thieves broke into the brewery’s Wine Store, which at the time, also housed a large supply of cigarettes. In a bold and well-planned raid, the gang made off with over 600,000 cigarettes, even using one of Batemans’ own vans as their getaway vehicle.
It was George Bateman who discovered the theft early that morning, just after completing the first brew of the day. It’s believed the gang had been hiding on the premises overnight, waiting for George to finish and leave before making their move.
Interestingly, although the store also contained wines and spirits, the thieves were only interested in the cigarettes, stealing brands like Players, Senior Service, and Park Drive. None of the stock was ever recovered. The stolen van, however, was later found abandoned near Sleaford, where police suspected, the gang had switched to another vehicle.
Despite promising leads, no arrests were ever made. The police believed the culprits were a London-based gang suspected of similar raids across the Midlands. Unfortunately, they were never caught.
The incident took advantage of the high summer stock levels and remains one of the more dramatic moments in Batemans’ long and colourful history.
Until next month, cheers, and thanks for reading.
