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Britain: Man Jailed for Theft of 1899 Ceremonial Badge worth $80,000
Israeli Diamond Industry - Blog
(Illustration image: Ginasanders | Dreamstime.com)
A theft in the sleepy town of Penrith in the county of Cumbria, England, has recently reached the national media, mainly because of the object taken: Gavin Fletcher, a 35-year-old security guard, was recently sentenced to two and a half years in prison over the theft of a ceremonial badge dated 1899, and used by the mayoress of Carlisle. Fletcher took the badge from the strong room at Carlisle Civic Centre.
The badge, according to the Cumbria Police, is worth £55,000 (approximately $80,000).
According to court documents, the theft occurred in January 2016, when Fletcher was working as a security guard at the Civic Centre. He gained a key to the strong room, took the badge, and then damaged it by smashing it with a hammer so he could sell the brooch and conceal its identity. He sold parts of the gold for £500 to Penrith Jewellers.
Due to his actions, this piece of Penrith history is now lost forever. As a distraught City Council spokesperson said: “The badge can never be replaced with its original diamonds and features as Mr Fletcher's actions ensured that these were lost forever. A piece of history has been lost for the sake of a few hundred pounds in cash."
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