Man attempted to sell stolen Rolex at pawn shop

A man who was caught on CCTV trying to sell a £9,200 stolen Rolex at a pawn shop has been jailed.

Staff at the store in Bedford contacted police after Frank Smith presented them with a watch in March last year (2024).

Checks revealed the £9,200 watch had been stolen during a burglary in Yelling, the previous August (2023).

Smith, 38, was arrested at his home in Common Road, Potton, on 12 December where officers discovered gold jewellery and watches linked to a burglary in Little Eversden in December (2024). They also recovered £4,000 in cash.

At Luton Crown Court on 8 July, Smith was sentenced to three years in prison after previously pleading guilty to three counts of handling stolen goods.

Detective Constable Ed Glasse, who investigated, said: “The items recovered represent not only a substantial financial loss to the rightful owners but likely sentimental. We hope this sentence sends a strong message that handling stolen goods will not be tolerated and those involved in any stage of a burglary will be brought to justice.”