CCTV: crawling burglar nets £40k in jewels

A CRAWLING burglar was captured on CCTV during a £40,000 jewellery raid in Rotherham Town Centre.

Burglars struck between 1.45am and 2.30am at the Gold Den jewellers, which shares its Riverside Precinct premises with Lionel's watch shop in the early hours of Good Friday, April 2

The offenders first smashed their way through the roof. The CCTV footage then shows one individual wearing a hooded top crawling through a door into a kitchen area before entering the main shop.

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Once inside, around 30,000 to 40,000 of jewellery including gold chains, bracelets, rings and earrings, was stolen. Most of the items are made in-store including items carrying the Rotherham United badge, which are engraved with the hallmark 'AH'. A number of high value watches were also stolen from Lionel's during the raid.

A 27-year-old man from Swinton has been arrested on suspicion of Burglary and bailed pending further enquiries but officers investigating this incident believe this is not just a one-man job.

DC Iain Martin said: "It is likely that this was a carefully planned raid. The offender on the CCTV footage appears to be male, about 5ft 6in to 5ft 8in tall with a slim build and wearing light coloured tracksuit bottoms and a light coloured hooded top. He may also have been wearing a pair of glasses during the break-in.

"If anyone knows anything about this burglary or saw anything suspicious in town in the early hours of Good Friday, then they need to contact officers at Rotherham CID on 01709 832 262 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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"I would especially like to speak a man who was seen stood on Corporation Street near to the Tesco bridge entrance around the time of the break-in."

Police would also like to hear from any local jewellers or dealers who may have been offered the stolen items.

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