THIEVES stole two valuable rings worth nearly £6,500 from a Hampshire jewellery store.

A man walked into Robert Alan store in New Milton High Street asking about some rings he had seen in the window.

A member of staff took the rings out of the display cabinet and was showing the man the rings. The man appeared to be speaking to another man who had remained outside of the shop. He then grabbed the items from the member of staff and ran out of the store.

Thanks to a quick thinking member of the public the thief was grabbed nearby and kept on site until police arrived.

The man’s accomplice drove away in a four-door black saloon car thought to be a Vauxhall, and travelled north towards Bashley.

PC Nathan King based at New Milton police station, said: “Thanks to the quick actions of a member of the public one man has now been arrested but we still urgently need to trace his accomplice seen driving off in a black saloon car.

“This was a busy Saturday afternoon in New Milton and someone must have seen this car driving off.

“The two rings are missing from the store and we think the thief probably handed the items to the second man before he was caught just yards from the jewellers.

“Are you a local jewellers or pawn brokers who has been offered these gold and platinum rings to buy in the past 24 hours? If so I would also like to hear from you.”

One of the rings is 18 carat gold encrusted with a 1.1 carat diamond, the other is a platinum ring encrusted with a two carat diamond.

A 28-year-old man from the Salisbury area has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and released on police bail until December 15 following this incident.

Anyone who witnessed the theft at around 1pm on Saturday or has any information should contact PC King at New Milton police station on 101 or the Crimestoppers charity, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.