Man jailed over £13,500 Gucci watch thefts at Shrewsbury jewellers
A man who was part of a raid where 14 Gucci watches, worth £13,500, were stolen from a jewellers has been jailed.
Ian Bevan, 37, of no fixed abode, who pleaded guilty to one charge of burglary at Shrewsbury Crown Court, had been part of the raid on Goldsmiths in Shrewsbury – but had come away empty handed.
Judge Anthony Lowe, was told that the shop, in Shrewsbury's Square, had been targeted by Bevan and another man on April 10 last year.
A total of 14 Gucci watches were taken after a window was smashed.
In total the raid cost the business around £15,000 in lost stock and repairs.
While another man made off with 14 of the watches – which have never been recovered – Bevan had grabbed one but dropped it as he tried to get his arm back out of the smashed window.
The court was told that either an object had been smashed through the front of the window, or someone had used a hand to smash their way in.
The court had been told of the impact on the shop, which came while it was reopening and recovering from the impact of Covid-enforced lockdowns.
Judge Lowe had heard that when the raid took place the firm "had just been getting back onto its feet and doing normal business".
Debra White, defending, said he deserved credit for his guilty plea.
Sentencing Judge Anthony Lowe said: "What we are talking about here – whether you got away with anything or not – is a joint enterprise where £13,500 of watches were taken."
He told Bevan: "It is really quite serious. I am satisfied by the very nature of the premises that they were deliberately targeted and there were two of you involved."
Judge Lowe said that Bevan's record showed a number of previous burglaries – two in 2016, and another in 2021.
The raid at Goldsmiths was committed only days before he was due in court to be sentenced for a previous burglary.
Bevan was sentenced to 19 months in prison.
