Two thieves who stole an 18-carat gold and diamond ring from a business in Eastbourne have been handed jail terms. Shabir Patel and Khaqan Raja were captured on CCTV footage entering the premises in Finmere Road and asking to see three high-value items before grabbing the £60,000 ring and fleeing. Raja pretended to take a phone call and left before Patel snatched the ring and they both ran to a waiting getaway car and drove off.
Thanks to information received from a member of the public who saw the vehicles switching registration plates, Sussex and Surrey Police contact handlers passed the information to specially-trained officers. The officers traced two vehicles in convoy from Lancashire and joined forces to locate the getaway car, a Jaguar, which was driving at speeds of up to 120mph. Officers from the Specialist Enforcement Unit, Roads Policing Unit, and Tactical Firearms Unit were able to bring the vehicle to a halt on the M23 north of Crawley.
Later, a second vehicle, a VW Bora, was stopped by Surrey Police officers on the M25 heading north towards London. Patel and Raja were arrested and subsequently charged and remanded in custody following an investigation by Eastbourne CID.
At Lewes Crown Court on April 26, the two men were sentenced. Raja, 36, of Roney Street, Blackburn, Lancashire, admitted driving while disqualified and theft of a gold, platinum, and diamond ring valued between £50,000 to £100,000. He was jailed for two years and four months. Patel, 39, of Plane Street, Blackburn, Lancashire, admitted theft of a gold, platinum, and diamond ring valued between £50,000 to £100,000 and was jailed for one year.
Detective Constable Ciara Richardson, the investigating officer, said that Patel and Raja thought they could get away with stealing a high-value ring from Sussex, but thanks to the information reported by the public and the fast response by officers, they were able to stop them. Head of Roads Policing at Sussex and Surrey Police, Superintendent Rachel Glenton, praised the officers for their exceptional skills and professionalism in safely stopping and arresting the two main offenders without harming anyone.
