Two teenagers arrested over £10,000 jewellery theft (From Swindon Advertiser)

Two teenagers arrested over £10,000 jewellery theft

8:10pm Thursday 24th May 2007 in

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POLICE have raided the home of a 17-year-old suspected of stealing more than £10,000 worth of jewellery.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested at his home in Tanners Close, Wootton Bassett, on Thursday afternoon.

Officers also arrested another 17-year-old youth on suspicion of burglary.

The pair are believed to have been involved with a burglary that took place at a bungalow in Honeyhill, Wootton Bassett between last Thursday and Monday.

The occupant, a 66-year-old widow, was abroad on holiday when thieves ransacked the house.

As previously reported in the Advertiser, they stole more than £10,000 worth of jewellery as well as collectable figurines worth more than £1,800.

Shortly after 1pm yesterday, four police cars arrived in Tanners Close to carry out a search of the property.

Another team of officers carried out a simultaneous search of an address in Glebe Road, Wootton Bassett.

Several items were removed from the house for examination.

Inspector Mark Levitt, of Wootton Bassett police, said they had received a large number of calls about the burglary.

"We have been following up a number of leads in relation to this incident," he said.

"It has upset a lot of people in the area.

"Two people have been arrested on suspicion of burglary and are currently being held at Gablecross police station.

"A number of items were seized from the Tanners Close property and have been taken for forensic analysis."

He said police were still keen to hear from anyone with information.

"We are still appealing for anyone who has been offered any of the items to contact us," he said.

"At this time we still have reason to believe that the items are in the local area."

Following the break-in the widow's daughter, who asked not to be named, said her mother was devastated.

"My mum is a pensioner and a widow. She built a beautiful home with my dad for scum of the earth like that to take it all," she said.

"They turned the house upside down.

"Being broken into has devastated my mum anyway but the loss of the jewellery is a real heartbreaker."

The family has been scouring jewellery stores and second hand shops in a bid to recover some of the property.

"I would do anything to get it back. It meant so much," she said.

Anyone with information should call PC Alex Curtis or PC Hayley Tarling at Wootton Bassett police on 0845 408 7000 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.