A REWARD is being offered by a Barnsley town centre market trader after a £3,600 necklace was stolen by a brazen thief in front of other shoppers and a photographer.
Dean Roberts, who runs S and A Jewellery with wife Sue and daughter Amber, has traded in the town for 26 years and was targeted by a thief who ran off with the nine-carat gold necklace last Wednesday at around 1.30pm.
The man, who was wearing a high-visibility green jacket, Hugo Boss jogger bottoms and blue Nike trainers, ran off with the expensive item - which was 32 inches long - having told the couple he was looking for a chain for his daughter.
A £500 reward is now being offered by the business, which is on Queen Street and trades on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, if it is returned.
“It’s a substantial piece of jewellery and we want it back,” Dean, 50, told the Chronicle. “He came across respectful at first and was wearing high-vis - there’s nothing untoward in that as you see many builders walking around the town centre.
“Everything he told us was very plausible. He said he had £1,800 to spend, he looked us in the eye and was relaxed.
“In a split second he ran off. I pursued him towards the railway tracks but he got underneath the barrier just before they closed and got away.”
A photographer taking snaps of stock managed to capture the moment he got away, and police enquiries have started to trace the thief.
A police spokesperson said: “CCTV footage has been obtained, although no-one has been arrested in connection to the theft as yet.
“Enquiries remain ongoing and anyone with information is asked to call 101, quoting reference 14/59364/18.”
