In the early hours of Saturday, November 1, two balaclava-clad thieves broke into the Gloucester Antiques Centre on Westgate Street, making off with gold and jewellery. The break-in occurred before 2:50 a.m., with the suspects fleeing the scene on bicycles, all while being recorded by CCTV cameras throughout the city center.
Gloucestershire Constabulary is appealing to the public for any information or footage related to the incident. The investigation continues, with officers having conducted searches and reviewed CCTV footage, but the suspects remain at large.
Former mayor and centre director Kathy Williams expressed gratitude for the rapid police response, which arrived within ten minutes of the break-in. However, the damage caused by the thieves, who forcibly entered by kicking down the door and smashing glass cabinets, forced the centre to delay opening until 1:30 p.m. that day.
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“All our stock is thoroughly photographed and can be identified,” Williams said. She has alerted local jewellers and pawnbrokers to be on the lookout for stolen items. She also praised the police and forensic teams for their thorough work in securing the scene and gathering evidence left behind by the criminals.
The Gloucester Antiques Centre remains open as usual from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a new door scheduled for installation on November 4.
The police continue to urge anyone who witnessed the burglary or has dashcam or mobile phone footage to come forward by submitting information through the Gloucestershire Constabulary’s online reporting form, quoting incident 54 of November 1.