Husband and wife heartbroken after £50,000 jewellery theft in Camden Town

Jewellers Janine and Ben Joseph under the railway bridge in Castlehaven Road, Camden Town. Picture: Polly Hancock.

by Tim Lamden Thursday, March 14, 2013
10:00 AM

A Camden jewellery firm run by a husband and wife faces possible collapse after the theft of a cache of luxury rings worth more than £50,000.

A white gold and diamond dress ring, similar to some of the jewellery stolen from Janine and Ben Joseph. Picture: Polly Hancock.

Janine and Ben Joseph, who run Rings for Eternity, were leaving the Gay Wedding Show at the Holiday Inn, in Jamestown Road, Camden Town, on Sunday when a box of gold, platinum and diamond rings was stolen from the boot of their car in Castlehaven Road.

Mrs Joseph, 51, said: “I’m appealing for any information from anyone who might have seen someone running away with a black box. It’s cleared us out completely, everything we’ve worked for over the past 20 years. There were some absolutely beautiful pieces in the box – all of them one-offs that can’t be replaced – it’s just heartbreaking.”

Mr Joseph, 54, arrived at the Holiday Inn to pick up his wife with their seven-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son just before 7.30pm.

The family from Highams Park, east London, were planning a Mother’s Day meal and Mr Joseph loaded the box of rings into the boot of their car.

He set off but was stopped by a man who warned Mr Joseph that one of his trailer tyres was flat and he stopped.

As he inspected the tyre, Mr Joseph opened the car boot and looked underneath the trailer as he did so the thief stole the box of rings.

Mrs Joseph said: “It would seem that we were set up because our trailer had one of its tyres slashed in two places.

“I suspect someone was watching me in the hotel.

“All we have left is silver samples; everything we had was in that box, so this could potentially ruin us, as if things weren’t hard enough.

“We were just rebuilding our business and we weren’t able to afford insurance, so if we don’t get some or any of this stuff back we can never replace it.”

Police investigating the theft wish to speak to the man who flagged down the Josephs to inform them of their flat tyre. No arrests have yet been made.

Anyone with information can call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.