LOOTERS targeted the charred remains of the King's Head in Bradwell-on-Sea after a fire ripped through the historic pub.
On Friday afternoon, a blaze engulfed the pub when an industrial fryer caught alight while the publicans were watching the Ryder Cup golf tournament on TV.
Although landlord and landlady Mick and Kay Clay, along with daughter Natalie, escaped the building unharmed, they are homeless and are staying temporarily in another villager's home nearby.
And Mr Clay this week revealed thieves have targeted the pub, stealing wine and spirits.
"I can't believe people have been in there nicking things but I'm not angry about it," he told the Chronicle.
"I suppose it's enterprising for someone. One man's loss is another man's gain."
Mr Clay, 55, who lived in the upstairs of the pub with wife, Kay, and daughter Natalie, 16, said his family had been "devastated" by the accident.
He added: "I left the home with 30p in my pocket, not even a pair of shoes. We lost money and jewellery, everything, but the main thing is that my daughter lost all of her GCSE school work, iPad, laptop everything.
"I need to find work soon as a chef and I'm not sure if we will ever go back into the pub industry. We loved the pub, we tried to make it safe and friendly for everyone to enjoy. We're heartbroken."
The pub is owned by Punch Taverns but the Clays had recently agreed to buy it, with the ownership due to be transferred next Monday.
Mr Clay had earlier cleaned out the industrial fryer, refilled it and then went upstairs to watch the Ryder Cup, propping open a fire door.
He added: "The idea with the fryer is to leave it alone while it works, we always do, and it's built for that so we didn't think much of it, it's a £1,000 bit of kit, not a chip pan. We think it must have been something to do with the thermostat."
Mr Clay says that his daughter, Natalie, spotted the blaze as she went downstairs and that, despite his efforts with a fire blanket, it was already too powerful.
Mr Clay, who has worked at the pub for the past 12 years, added: "I can still see the bright yellow light of the fire. I ran downstairs and couldn't get anywhere near it so we got out while we could.
"A lot of people in the village have showed their support and I'm very grateful to them."
An investigation into the fire found it was caused accidentally.
Villagers watched from the grounds of St Thomas' Church just over the road as firefighters tried to save the pub, after encountering a number of problems with water pressure and having to use water from a nearby pond.
A local farmer also helped by supplying water.
Punch Taverns said it currently had no idea if or when the pub would reopen, but was working with everyone involved to find a way forward.
