Police Seek Help To Trace Owners of Rare Jewellery

Thursday June 28, 2012

Police in West Yorkshire are appealing for help from residents to trace the owner of up to £300,000 of rare and unique jewellery.

Officers from West Yorkshire Police's Crime Division are seeking assistance from residents to identify the owner of a number of items of rare jewellery as pictured after they were recovered by Police from a house in Cleckheaton in August 2010.

Up to 108 unique and handmade items including a ring with a snake design and yellow stone were recovered from the property and have been subject to examination by jewellers and forensic experts.

So far, it is believed the items, which also include diamond rings, ear rings and a number of antique pieces could be worth a minimum £300,000.

They include a highly unusual aquamarine and diamond ring (right) in the form of two rings, which is unlikely to have been purchased in this country, and a blue stone and diamond set necklace (below left)

 The blue stones are all natural sapphires and are possibly made in Thailand.

Other items of interest also include a lady's brilliant cut diamond ring (last image on right) which is of significant value and rarity, and was most probably made before the Second World War.

Widespread enquiries with experts have suggested the jewellery was not local to the area and could have potentially come from elsewhere in the region or wider country.                                        

Detective Inspector Lloyd Batley of West Yorkshire Police's Crime Division said: "Enquiries to identify the owner of these really quite unique jewellery pieces have been ongoing for some time now and we are appealing for help from the public to solve the mystery of their ownership.

"Experts have told us a number of these items are handmade and unique and due to the circumstances in which they were found, we have good reason to believe their owner or owners are still out there somewhere in West Yorkshire or the wider UK.

"Clearly these items are going to be of real personal and physical value to either one or many people and we are keen to reunite them with their rightful owners.

He added: "The examiners have stated that the pieces are very rare and would have documentation which would support any genuine purchase. 

“I would ask anyone who does recognise these items of jewellery or who could help us trace their owner to contact DC 1795 Steve Hughes at the Homicide and Major Enquiries Team on 01924 334617 or CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111. "