[29 JAN 01] CRIMES, FIRES & ACCIDENTS
£250,000 Watches Heist In Hotel Car Park

Watches worth £250,000 were stolen from cars belonging to company reps parked in a hotel near Coventry.

Four vehicles belonging to the reps were broken into between 4.00pm and 4.30pm on Thursday 25 January at the Nailcote Hall Hotel in Nailcote Lane, Berkswell.

A total of 600 watches with a combined value of about £250,000 were taken from cases in the cars' boots.

The watches - including Omega, Calvin Klein, Tissot and Swatch models - are expensive with some valued at several thousand pounds each.

A distinguishing feature of each watch was that the bracelet had had a link taken out of it so that the watches could be displayed flat. This meant that they could not be worn immediately on the wrist.

Police are particularly anxious to trace the driver of a metallic rust coloured VW Golf car which was seen driving away from the hotel at the time of the incident.

The registration plate is believed to contain the letters B, U and G, not necessarily in that order.

DI Derek Biggs said that because the watches were so distinctive and had bracelets with a link missing, they would be relatively easy to identify and difficult to dispose of without attracting attention.

He said he would like to hear from jewellers or any member of the public who is offered a watch like this.