Police believe thieves in Derry are specifically hunting fine jewellery during burglaries.

A police spokesperson said a new trend appears to have emerged in house burglaries in the Foyle area, with criminals seemingly intent on getting their hands on only the very finest jewellery.

Antique items are especially favoured by the thieves.

Inspector Jonny Hunter said:  “We have noticed incidents where criminals have ignored valuable items such as mobile phones and iPads and have stolen only the most high value jewellery.

“They are particularly keen on items that are of high value, including antiques, and it appears they may have a market for these items.

“We are asking jewellery owners to assess their security.  If you have very valuable items, think about investing in a safe and an intruder alarm. 

“We always recommend that you take photographs of your jewellery and keep descriptions of the items, such as type of metal, type of stones, and length of chains.  These can assist in identifying items.  Always remember not to keep the photographs in a place where they can be stolen.

“If you are a trader who buys jewellery, be careful of who you deal with.  If you have any suspicions of the provenance of an item, do not buy it.”

Information about stolen high value jewellery can be given to police on the non-emergency number 101, or by calling Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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