Biggleswade jeweller left shaking after shop ‘rammed by van’

A jeweller was left shaking from the damage to her shop, after she said thieves repeatedly rammed her store with a van during the middle of the night.

She said it happened at HC Jewellers in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, at about 01:20 BST on Friday, triggering alarms and filling the store with security smoke.

Co-owner Hanna Suma said CCTV showed the listed building being rammed three times before the attackers broke through. She said they fled before police arrived minutes later.

“I was very upset and shaking and didn’t really know what to expect when we came in,” she told the BBC. Bedfordshire Police has been contacted for comment.

The business faces an indefinite closure while structural engineers assess the stability of the listed building.

The owners believed its security systems and the swift police response prevented much from being taken.

Suma said rebuilding the shop front was “going to take a lot”.

“How long it will put us out of business for, I do not know,” she said.

On Facebook, the jeweller posted a crime reference number for witnesses, external, and added: “To our customers that may have jewellery repairs in with us, please be assured that they are safe and all items have now been moved. If you have any worries or questions, our Royston store is still open as usual.”

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