Police probe as £1k of RayBans stolen in Halstead

Officers with Essex Police have been alerted to the incident which took place on Halstead High Street on July 16.

The crime took place at Wardale Williams opticians between 9.30am and 9.45am.

The man entered the shop and took half a dozen pairs of designer sunglasses.

The theft left staff at the shop gobsmacked but they were able to capture the man on CCTV and file a report to Essex Police.

Staff at the shop say they did not realise the man had taken the sunglasses until after he had left.

One staff member said the incident wasn’t a snatch and grab, but instead the man posed as a customer and sneakily replaced the sunglasses – RayBans – with cheap frames.

Staff said the value of the stolen items came to about £1,000.

They added: “He asked the receptionist for a business card when he came in and said he was looking for frames for his daughter.

“He had a magazine rolled under his arm and he tucked the sunglasses in there, down his shorts and his in pockets when staff weren’t looking.

“It was very sneaky, and he seemed pleasant enough.

“He left after about five minutes and said goodbye as staff let him out.

“He swapped cheaper frames in the empty spaces of the designer RayBans so the gaps weren’t noticed at first.”

Essex Police are appealing for anyone with information to contact them.

A spokesman said: “We received a report of a theft from Wardale Williams opticians in Halstead High Street.

“It was reported a man came into the store and took between five and seven pairs of RayBan glasses with a total value of a three-figure sum."

Anyone with information should call 101 and quote crime reference number 42/186515/22.