Publicity flushes out urinal thief

updated 4:36 p.m. ET Jan. 10, 2007

LONDON - A British man caught on camera stealing a urinal from a pub gave himself up to police after media reports of his antics attracted global attention, detectives said Tuesday.

The 42-year-old man carefully removed the toilet from the bathrooms of the Royal Oak Pub in Southampton on the English south coast, stuffed it into a rucksack and walked out.

Last week officers released photos of the bizarre theft, which was captured on closed circuit television, and reports of the crime appeared around the world from as far afield as India, Australia and China, Hampshire police said.

The man handed himself and the urinal over to police, saying he had taken it as a "souvenir."

Detectives decided to let him off with an "official caution" after interviewing him.

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