The spoils from an art theft were returned to a bar on North Main Street in Cork last night after a social media campaign threatened to go public with CCTV footage of the thieves, writes Liz Dunphy.

BDSM bar posted a Facebook appeal for the thieves to return stolen artwork – a poster of Captain America – promptly or they would hand CCTV footage of the heist over to gardaí.

Conor Lyons of BDSM said that they launched the online appeal on principle.

“The poster was not of major monetary value, but it was of value to staff and customers and we did not want to set a precedent where people could steal artwork,” he said.

CCTV cameras in the premises caught the two males red handed, but after examining the footage Mr Lyons decided to give them a chance to hand themselves in before going to gardaí with the images.

The online appeal was seen by 25,000 people. Yesterday the poster was returned undamaged and wrapped in a black plastic bag to the pub by the two apologetic males.

This story first appeared in the Evening Echo newspaper.