Sheffield Assay Office: Video captures moment raiders steal £100,000 worth of silverware in Hillsborough

The thieves were caught on CCTV pulling up to the premises on Beulah Road, near Hillsborough Leisure Centre yesterday, Sunday, January 15, before using an angle grinder to cut through the perimeter fence. They can then be seen smashing their way into the building at around 6.40pm and helping themselves to the precious loot stored in display cabinets in the reception.

Ashley Carson, chief executive of Sheffield Assay Office, which hallmarks jewellery and other valuables as well as providing a diamond verification service, said the items taken included a ‘beautiful’ specially commissioned piece created by a talented designer who had tragically died aged just 40. He has appealed for anyone who saw anything to contact the police and for people to be on the lookout for the stolen items in case the thieves attempt to sell them on.

“There are pieces from the collection which have been stolen which simply can’t be replaced,” he said. “We really hope we can help police catch whoever did this and get at least some of those items back.” He added that it was important to clarify that the only items stolen were those belonging to the Assay Office which had been on display in the reception area and at no point had its customers’ security been breached.

Mr Carson said a white van believed to be either a Ford Transit or a Vauxhall Vivaro could be seen on CCTV passing the building at 6.35pm before pulling up outside the main gates around two minutes later. Four men then got out, with one remaining in the driver’s seat, and one of the men cut through the perimeter fence using a large angle grinder, which was subsequently used to break through one of the closed roller shutters.

The glass was smashed with a large lump hammer, at which point the alarms went off. Two people entered the building and used the hammer to smash two cabinets holding part of the collection. They grabbed the contents and returned to the van, which was driven off at around 6.42pm.

Mr Carson told how some of the pieces which were stolen had been special commissions. He said they included the first piece to be hallmarked when Sheffield Assay Office, which dates back to 1773, moved to its current premises in 2008, and the first palladium piece to be hallmarked.

Mr Carson said the police had told him the break-in was being linked to another one earlier that day at a Co-op store, though police told The Star it was too early to confirm whether this was the case. He said he believed the thieves, who were only inside the building for about one minute, had ‘obviously done a recce beforehand’.

South Yorkshire Police confirmed that an investigation was underway and asked anyone with information to call 101, quoting incident number 668 of January 15, or to get in touch via the force’s website at: www.southyorks.police.uk/contact-us/report-something/. You can also call Crimestoppers, free and anonymously, on 0800 555 111.