A TRAY of engagement rings worth £27,000 has been stolen in broad daylight from an upmarket jeweller’s.
Lime Blue diamond store in Edinburgh was targeted by a thief who told staff he wanted to buy an engagement ring.
As a member of staff fetched jewellery, the culprit grabbed a tray containing up to 50 diamond rings believed to be priced between £500 and £2000 each.
The thief ran out of the store, pursued by staff, and jumped into a dark green getaway car which drove on the pavement before disappearing from view.
The incident happened shortly after 1pm in George Street.
A witness, who asked not to be named, said: “A lassie ran out after the robber.
“He ran straight out and struggled to get into a car that was waiting for him. The car bumped up on the pavement and eventually the guy got in.
“The car sped along the foot path for a bit too then just disappeared.”
The shop advertises itself as being for “men and women who know what they want”.
Staff declined to comment.
One of the trays in the window of the store contained 40 rings together worth £60,000.
Also on display is a one carat ring worth £11,000.
The thief is described as a thin white male in his early 20s. He was about 5’ 6” tall and was wearing a dark blue jacket and jeans.
Police said they would be studying CCTV footage from the raid in a bid to catch the culprit.
Detective Sergeant Lynsey Thomson from Lothian and Borders Police said: “This was a brazen theft that happened on a busy street in broad daylight and we are confident that someone would have seen a male running down Castle Street.
“I would appeal to anyone in the area who might have seen something to let us know as soon as possible.
“Similarly, anyone who may recognise a description of the suspect or the car should come forward immediately.”
A Lothian and Borders Police spokeswoman added: “There was no mention of a weapon and nobody was injured.”
