Trio snatched £3.6k worth of earrings

A JEWELLER had thousands of pounds’ worth of earrings stolen after being targeted in ‘sneak theft’.

Gold earrings worth £3,600 were taken during an incident at the shop on Wilmslow Road in Rusholme. The jewellery has never been recovered - and the owner had to pay a £2,000 insurance excess.

Jason Townsend, 45, one of two men who helped shield the view of staff while the theft took place, has appeared before a judge. Sanela Osmanovic, 38, then took the earrings.

Townsend became involved in a ‘spur of the moment’ decision, Manchester Crown Court heard.

“It caused real loss to the jeweller, who was a small business person,” Judge Hilary Manley told Townsend.

“You ensured, together with another male, that you shielded the view of the staff from the female that you were with, so that she could steal the jewellery. I accept no violence or threat was used.”

Prosecutors said the owner of the shop was suspicious of the trio when they came into the shop, on January 15, 2019.

Osmanovic was asking him about some of the rings, prosecutor Brian Williams said.

The trio were ‘working together’ and the two men shielded Osmanovic from the view of staff, the court heard.

She took a tray of earrings and put it under her coat.

Townsend, of Ladyfield Street, Wilmslow, was arrested in April 2019. He initially pleaded not guilty, but later admitted theft.

Osmanovic was jailed for two years in April 2019, for other offences and breaching a suspended sentence.

The court heard that Townsend had previous convictions, but none since 2008. Judge Manley sentenced him to a 12-month community order, to include 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days, and 80 hours of unpaid work.