Stolen beer kegs worth £2,150 returned to Arundel Brewery

Arundel Brewery lost a third of its kegs in the raid by thieves that happened around 2.30am on Thursday, April 1.

However, after being missing for more than three weeks, the 43 empty kegs, which are said to be worth £50 each, are now back at the brewery.

It comes as the venue prepares to supply its award-winning beer to pubs across the county, ahead of the easing of lockdown restrictions in June.

Owner Stuart Walker said it was a "great result".

He told The Argus: "It is a relief. It would have cost us several thousand pounds to replace those kegs.

"We were right at the point when we were going to do that when they were caught.

"The organisation called Keg Watch were very instrumental in terms of identifying where the kegs were, in combination with Kent and Sussex police.

The van that was caught on CCTV

"We had a lot of insight into what was going on - it is amazing.

"It is not great timing to spent money on that sort of thing but it is perfect because are ready to fill them now."

The award-wining brewery has been operational since 1992 and is run by a family of beer craft fanatics.

• READ MORE >> Thieves steal beer kegs from Arundel Brewery

Five of their beers - Uptown, Dragonfly, Maple Stout, Blueberry Imperial and Battle of the Oats - are number one in their categories in the South of England on the beer review site Untappd.

Stills taken from CCTV at the time of the raid showed a white van entering the "secure compound" that morning.

A the time, Mr Walker said the heist "probably took under 10 minutes".

He said: "This isn't a one-off. They are doing it on a consistent basis.

"Our site is a secure site but they were in and out pretty quickly.

"It probably took under 10 minutes."

June 21st will see pubs and other hospitality venues open fully for the first time this year, as punters enjoy a drink indoors.

Nightclubs will also reopen, and all legal limits on social contact will be removed.

Sussex Police have been contacted for comment.