Rings worth £10,000 Stolen In Basildon

14 October 2011, 11:57 | Updated: 14 October 2011, 12:06

Essex police have released CCTV images after rings costing £10,000 were stolen from two jewellers in Basildon.

The footage has been released following an incident at H Samuel in Basildon Town Square on August 15th.

The suspect entered the shop and asked to view a platinum diamond ring, worth nearly £2,900, but then grabbed it from the member of staff and made off.

Police believe that a second incident that occurred last week may be linked.

At 4.45pm on Friday, October 7th, the suspect entered Warren James, Eastgate Shopping Centre and asked to view a ring worth nearly £7,000. The shop worker held it for the suspect to view and he snatched it before running off towards Southernhay.

Investigating officer, Pc Mike Hillis, said: "The shop workers did the right thing by not letting the suspect hold the ring in either incident, but he snatched it out of their hands and made off. He also presents very respectfully and was very charming and polite to the shop workers. Although no actual violence was used against the workers in either incident, they were both obviously left very shocked and upset by what happened."

In the incident in H Samuel, the suspect was described as a white man, dark brown short hair, had a chipped tooth and was wearing a navy blue t-shirt and jeans.

In the second incident in Warren James, the suspect is described as a white man, in his mid-20s, approximately 5'9in tall, gappy teeth, dark short spiky hair, wearing a grey light jacket, jeans and white trainers.