A blinged-up jewellery shop manager who stole £125,000 in diamonds and gold was busted at Heathrow – still dripping in stolen gems after a luxury cruise.
Lucy Roberts, 39, was trusted to run a high-end store in Beverley, East Yorkshire – but instead helped herself to gold, diamonds and designer pieces, stashing them under her bed and in cupboards.
She brazenly handed in her notice, jetted off on a plush holiday, and sent smug selfies to ex-colleagues – flaunting the very items she had stolen.
Suspicious staff contacted police with investigations finding that Roberts had made several bogus return transactions and fake stock takes.
A search of her bedroom then uncovered thousands of pounds worth of jewellery hidden under her bed and in cupboards.
When Roberts landed back at Heathrow, police arrested her wearing a haul of stolen jewels – with more in her suitcase.
Bodycam footage caught her hurriedly trying to take the jewellery off as she was being taken into custody.
In interviews, Roberts denied wrongdoing and tried to claim an ex colleague at the store must have planted the rest of jewellery in her suitcase.
Roberts, from Swanland in Yorkshire, appeared at Grimsby Crown Court where she admitted theft by an employee. She was jailed for 28 months.
Humberside Police detective sergeant Krista Wilkinson said: ‘Roberts was an entrusted member of the shop, responsible for managing the store and whilst working at the jewellers over the course of year stole an estimated £124, 675 worth of jewellery and cash.
‘From her bedroom 269 items worth a total value of £107, 965 were recovered and when arrested at the airport, Roberts was wearing approximately £1015 of stolen items, as well 22 items £13,880 worth of jewellery was located in her suitcase.
‘Without a care in the world, dripping in diamonds, thinking she had deceived everybody, Roberts arrogantly posed on social media and sent pictures boasting to her ex-colleagues about the great time she was having on holiday, not thinking they would realise what she had been doing.
‘From the photos she sent colleagues you could clearly see the high value and unique pieces that she was wearing which she had not purchased whilst working for the store.
‘Whilst the company may sell luxury products, they are still business who rely on customers and sales to be able to continue to operate and contribute to the community.
‘I am pleased she is now behind bars and I hope it will give her ample time to think about the crime she committed and how it has impacted not only the company, but the colleagues who considered her a friend and who were betrayed by her in such a trusted role.’
The jewellery company, which has not been named, expressed relief at the verdict.
A spokesperson said: ‘We’re pleased to finally have closure on the matter after several years.
‘We remain incredibly grateful to Humberside Police Force and our employees, who at the time of the investigation, worked tirelessly and diligently to bring about this outcome and for justice to be achieved.’
