Co-owner of Hamilton Jewellers in Christchurch hurt as she tried to stop £1k ring thief
“I STILL have flashbacks.” These were the words of a Christchurch jewellery store’s shocked co-owner who was hurt as she tried to stop a thief who snatched a ring worth over £1,000.
Police have released a CCTV image of a suspect following the theft at Hamilton Jewellers in Pound Lane around 1.15pm last Thursday.
Sue Jerrett (60), who has run the business with husband Jamie (68) for four years, fell against the store’s door while trying to grab the fleeing offender. She suffered a bruised knee and shoulder.
Mrs Jerrett told the A&T the thief fled with the ring valued at £1,350 after asking to see it and one other for a second time that afternoon.
The Jerretts believe CCTV footage suggests he was helped by another man and a woman who caused a distraction and held open the door for him.
“He took the ring, put it on his finger and dashed out. I tried running after him, but I cannoned into the plate glass door. As I tried to grab him I hit the door, badly bruising my knee and my shoulder,” Mrs Jerrett said.
“It’s still very painful. I’m not sleeping brilliantly, and I still have flashbacks.”
This was the first time thieves had struck the jewellers since Mr and Mrs Jerrett took over the business four years ago.
“You feel angry at first,” Mrs Jerrett continued. “You feel violated like it’s someone entering your home.
“You feel like you didn’t do enough to stop it, but then you don’t know if they might have had any weapons.”
The Jerretts praised the police response to the theft, with officers attending the shop on the same day, before being handed CCTV footage the following day.
People are being urged to come forward if they can help identify the man in the image.
Having fled the store, the suspect was reported to have collided with a member of the public as he ran through the underpass towards the Waitrose supermarket at Bargates.
He was described as white, 5ft 9in tall, wearing a dark double-breasted jacket with epaulettes, a flat cap, light shoes and a scarf across his face.
PC Glenn Stokes said: “Our investigation into this theft is ongoing and we have now obtained a CCTV image of the suspect.
“I am releasing this in the hope that someone might have information as to his identity.”
Hamilton Jewellers has been a town centre fixture since being launched in 1967 by original owner Peter Hamilton, who died in 2015.
Contact Dorset Police on 101 or online at dorset.police.uk/do-it-online quoting crime reference number 55210207960.Crimestoppers can also be called anonymously on 0800 555 111.
