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" link="linked" id="88428">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.
