Emmerdale actor Bradley Riches has been left 'absolutely heartbroken' after his coffee truck and car were stolen in a cruel robbery, just days after his on-screen alter ego Lewis Barton dealt with a similar café burglary. The 24-year-old actor took to Instagram to share the devastating news with fans, revealing the theft occurred shortly after he returned from the Heartstopper premiere.
Bradley Riches shares heartbreaking news on Instagram
In a post on his Instagram account, Riches shared a selfie alongside a caption detailing the crime. 'Always sharing the highs and the lows on here,' he wrote. 'This week started so perfectly. I got back from the Heartstopper premiere after having the best time… only to come home and find out I’d been robbed. My car is gone, but what breaks my heart the most is that my coffee truck has been taken too. Two things I’ve worked so incredibly hard for, gone just like that. I’m absolutely heartbroken. To the person who took them, I hope you have a really bad day.'
The post quickly garnered an outpouring of support from fans and fellow celebrities. Iz Hesketh, star of Tip Toe, commented: 'Baby I’m so sorry this happened to you.' Emmerdale co-star Isabel Hodgins, who plays Victoria Sugden, added: 'I hope they are caught!!!' Other fans expressed their sympathy and hope that the vehicles would be recovered.
Official statement from Bradley's bar and café
The official Instagram page for Bradley's bar and café also updated its bio to read 'currently stolen' and shared a separate post with a picture of the coffee truck. 'As you may have seen, our trailer, along with our car, has been stolen,' the caption read. 'We’re absolutely devastated. After everything we’ve put into building our little business, it’s incredibly upsetting to see it taken away like this. The theft has been reported to the police, who have been fantastic, but unfortunately they’ve been unable to locate either vehicle at its last known location.'
The statement continued: 'We’re asking everyone in the Leeds and Bradford area to please keep an eye out. Even the smallest piece of information could make a huge difference. If you think you’ve seen the trailer, the car, or anything that you think might be connected, please send us a private message as soon as possible. We’d be so grateful. Thank you so much for all of your support and kind messages already, it really does mean everything to us.'
Life imitates art: On-screen burglary mirrors reality
The real-life theft comes just days after Riches' Emmerdale character Lewis Barton discovered his beloved café had been burgled. On the ITV soap, suspicion immediately fell on Kev Townsend (Chris Coghill), who recently revealed himself to be Lewis's biological father. Given Kev's criminal history, which includes several robberies, Lewis was convinced his father was responsible. However, viewers later learned that the burglary was orchestrated by Lewis's brother Ross Barton (Michael Parr) and his business partner Nicola King (Nicola Wheeler) in an attempt to drive a wedge between father and son.
The parallels between the fictional storyline and real-life events have not been lost on fans, many of whom expressed their shock and sympathy online. The police in Leeds and Bradford are continuing their investigation, and anyone with information is urged to contact authorities or message Bradley's team directly.
