High street giant forced to remove cups from coffee machines to stop thieves stealing drinks

TESCO has removed self-serve cups from its Costa Express machines to stop thieves enjoying a free brew.

The supermarket diplomatically suggested some punters had been “forgetting to pay” after using pour-it-yourself dispensers.

Alamy

Tesco removed self-serve cups from its Costa Express machines to stop thieves enjoying a free brew[/caption]

Take-away cups are being taken off display, with customers now asked to pay first at some stores after thieves helped themselves to £3.30 lattes.

A cashier at a branch in Purley, South London, said: “Eighty per cent of the product was disappearing.

“People were pouring themselves a coffee and simply walking out.

“And this is going on nationwide. It’s the world we’re living in now.”

Tesco sources disputed the scale of the loss and said some customers genuinely forgot to pay.

It comes as the retail giant last week offered staff bodycams amid a rise in violent thieves raiding stores.

Tesco and Costa Coffee were contacted for comment.