Shop owner offers £2,000 for information after having expensive watches stolen

Cliffe Antiques Centre in Cliffe High Street was broken into in the early hours Sunday, December 4, Sussex Police said.

A number of antique OMEGA watches were stolen, to the value of £17,000.

A 57-year-old man and a 32-year-old man from Lewes were arrested on suspicion of burglary and have both been bailed to March 4.

Police have been appealing for witnesses, particularly those with live on Cliffe High Street and adjoining Malling Street that have CCTV or doorbell footage.

The watches were supplied to Cliffe Antiques Centre by independent luxury watch dealer Watches of Bath.

The manager of this shop, Joe Vickers, told SussexWorld he is offering a £2,000 reward for any information which may lead to the return of the watches.

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Joe said: “Yes, we have upped the reward from £1,000 initially to £2,000 now. We are determined that these thieves are caught and the watches are recovered.

"The police have told us that they do not have the manpower to investigate the crime exhaustively, but we are determined that the people responsible are prosecuted and the watches recovered.”

Joe says the owner of Cliffe Antiques Centre won’t take anymore watches from his shop to sell as he worried about another break-in.

According to Joe, the reward posters have been stuck in the windows of many local business in the East Sussex town, but said he has not heard from anyone since they were printed.

Joe said: “All calls will be treated in the strictest confidence, call us on 07563 350615 or Sussex Police on 101 quoting Crime Number 47220226017.”