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Smash-and-grab raiders caught on camera
THE dramatic moment when raiders forced their way in to the Arndale Centre on Monday night in a smash-and-grab raid on Ernest Jones Jewellers was caught on CCTV cameras.
The trio broke in through the panel of a door of the Tideswell Road entrance at 9.46pm, ran across the shopping centre to the jewellers and smashed a window.
They then grabbed handfuls of watches worth thousands of pounds and shoved them into a bag with a JD logo on before fleeing back out of the side entrance and away in to the night exactly a minute later.
These images were caught on the Arndale Centre's CCTV and have been released by detectives investigating the daring raid.
Police say the watches are worth up to 9,000 and are appealing for anyone who may have seen the thieves to contact them.
They were seen in the town centre earlier on and were also wearing distinctive white hoods over their clothes which appear to be similar to those which welders would wear.
The first suspect was wearing a red hoodie, dark tracksuit bottoms and black trainers.
The second man had a light blue top on with a horizontal dark blue narrow band across the chest, a large white industrial hood and blue or black tracksuit bottoms.
The third suspect was wearing blue tracksuit bottoms with a white stripe down the outside leg and a grey top, a large white industrial hood, and was seen carrying a bag with a 'JD' logo on it.
Detective Sergeant Ross Bartlett said, "We are appealing for witnesses to come forward who may have been in the area between Ashford Road and Seaside around the time of the burglary.
"You may have seen the suspects individually, as a pair or all together."
It is believed to be the first time thieves have broken into the Arndale Centre and forced their way into a shop.
Bill Plumridge, manager of the Eastbourne Arndale Centre, said, "It is a very rare occurrence that a burglary happens within the centre and we take every precaution against it happening.
"CCTV cameras operate constantly throughout the centre and they captured very good images of the culprits.
"These have been passed to the police who are investigating."
Police are appealing for anyone with information to contact Sussex Police on 0845 60 70 999, quoting serial 1761 of November 16.
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Weather for Eastbourne
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 13 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 23 mph
Wind direction: East
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