Masked man steals £20,000 worth of jewellery in Lewes smash and grab

The incident, involving a masked man, occurred at David Smith Jewellery, in the High Street, at about 1.45pm.

Items including rings, necklaces and bracelets, with a total estimated value of £20,000, were taken during the raid.

The suspect is described as a man, about 6’ 3”, of skinny build. He was wearing a red and white mask, a black hoody over his head and black jeans. He also carried a hammer, which was used to smash two cabinets in the premises, and a black rucksack, which was used to carry the stolen items.

He was last seen heading down Station Street, where he turned right towards Southover Grange Gardens.

Detective Sergeant Jo Benton said: “The nature of this incident has had a distressing effect on the shop workers and we are working with them to try and identify the offender.

“Fortunately, it is an isolated incident and no one was harmed during the raid. It occurred during broad daylight, when there were plenty of people around, and we are appealing for any witnesses to contact us on [email protected] or call 101, quoting serial 804 of 11/05.”

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