Appeal After Unusual Necklace Thefts

12 May 2011, 13:15 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

Police in Southampton are investigating after a number of recent unusual thefts where people are approached by two women who try to sell them necklaces.

In each case they put them over the head of the victim and when told to take them off they also remove the victims own expensive necklace and leave them with a cheap one.

They then make off, often before the person realises what has happened. There have been at least five known cases in Southampton since the start of the year. Often the victims are Asian woman.

In the latest case on Wednesday, May 4 just before 1.30pm, a woman was approached on Portswood Broadway by two women who put necklaces around her neck and asked her to buy them. When she said she didn’t want them they took them off but using the clasp. She then discovered they had taken her gold necklace worth around £1400 and left her with a cheap necklace.

The women are believed to have made off on a bus.

The others cases happened in Kingsland Market on April 9, Bevois Valley Road on March 26, Butts Road in Sholing on February 6 and Derby Road on January 29.

In two of the cases the thieves were unsuccessful as their victim realised what was happening.

In most cases the thieves are described as two woman who look Asian or Eastern European. One had a darker skin than the other, she was also fatter than the other women. In the Portswood Broadway incident one was wearing a long skirt the other thin trousers with a long over top. The thinner one also wore a distinctive bright head scarf in at least two of the incidents.

Officers are now appealing for any witnesses or anyone with information about who the women may be to contact them. They would also like to hear from anyone else who may have been a victim who hasn’t yet reported the incident.

They are asked to call PC Barbara Dixon at Southampton Central Police Station on 101 or call Crimestoppers on 101.