WORRIED residents have been left in limbo over the future of their valuables after a pawnbroker was jailed.

Harvey White, who owns Cash Call pawnbrokers in St John’s Road, Clacton, was sentenced to nine years in prison in November.

He was found guilty of playing a part in a rogue builder scam, helping to con elderly residents out of £1million and laundering cash through his business.

But his sentence means the shop has closed without warning and those with valuables which were inside fear they may never get them back.

Lorraine Gosling, of Clacton, has been paying cash instalments to the shop for some of her jewellery to be kept there.

Last year, she went to pay her latest instalment, but found the shop was closed.

She tried in vain to contact the owners before discovering the reason for the closure.

Miss Gosling said: “I’ve had my jewellery in his pawn shop for years. The idea was to pay for it to be kept in there for safekeeping, but it hasn’t worked out that way.

“That jewellery is all I’ve got of any value. It all has a lot of sentimental value to me and it’s what I want to leave to my children.

“I trusted him with it and now I’m worried I might never see it again.”

The original owners of the pawned items have been unable to contact anyone representing the business and are in the dark over whether they will ever see their valuables again.