Hampshire Chronicle - Monday 04 July 1774

On Friday se’nnight a man, well dressed, came to an inn in Cuckfield, and after having walked about and surveyed the town, enquired of the landlord if he could not be admitted into their church; the landlord directed him to the clerk, who very politely attended the gentleman into the church; but in return for which, in the clerk’s absence, he found means to cut a hole in the bottom of a little box, wherein were deposited some public collections, to the amount of 5 shillings which he carried off.