Students at Boris Johnson's posh Oxford college warned: stop pinching the plates

11 March 2023 , 22:21

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Students are suspected of stealing dozens of items with crests on from dinners at Magdalen College, Oxford (Image: Magdalen college)

Oxford Uni students have been pinching cups and plates at posh weekly dinners, forcing two of its oldest colleges to launch a crackdown on thefts.

Balliol College - where former Prime Minister Boris Johnson studied - has lost so many crested cups and placemats at its swanky weekly three-course dinners that it has decided to stop using them altogether. Several students have been caught trying to smuggle items out, and 20 cups that vanished during an evening event are still missing.

And Magdalen College has warned students that if they do not return tableware in an amnesty it could be treated as theft, potentially landing privileged undergraduates with criminal records.

The loss of crested tableware is taking its toll on people who work at the world-famous university. At Balliol, which hires out the dining hall for private events, staff are forced to scramble around for placemats and cups to set the table if items have been taken.

Magdalen is one of the oldest colleges at Oxford University (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

An email sent to Balliol students said: 'I am very sorry to say that we will no longer be using Balliol crested cups or placemats for student dinners.

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'The staff in Hall last night had to ask many students to empty cups that they had stolen from the table from pockets and bags - even with this being the case 20 were still stolen.

'The cutlery and crockery that we use in Hall has to be paid for, if it goes missing then we must pay to replace it. This is money that is then not available to spend in other areas.

'Some of the items are used at all of the dinner that Balliol hosts, not just Tuesday Hall. Staff do not count the cups and placemats after a dinner - they will have to start doing so due to the incredibly selfish actions of some of you.'

The historic dining hall at Magdalen College, Oxford (Magdalen college)

The email, quoted on MailOnline, continued: 'This might seem trivial to some of you, however the added stress when we are dealing with a busy evening is unnecessary and not what the Catering staff who work hard looking after you all should have to put up with.

'I am extremely disappointed to have to email adults studying at Balliol College to ask them not to steal.'

Magdalen College gave students until March 10 to return branded items taken as souvenirs during dinners, and warned students: 'Following this period any items of College property found in a student’s possession will be regarded as theft and be treated as such.'

James Tute