Art heist in Seven Dials

A Seven Dials bar manager set up a sting operation to catch thieves stealing artwork worth £1000 from his premises.

Xuma bar manager Cormac Eddery exhibits works by local artists and first noticed a print by Saoirse Louise Towler and one by Sara Abbott, worth £400, had vanished on October 30th 2011.

On October 31st the group returned to steal another print but were followed home by Mr Eddery. He called the police who advised the thieves had to be caught in the act for an arrest to be made. A sting operation was then conceived to catch the gang red-handed: in the bar another work by Towler was hung on the gallery's lowest hook, with cameras trained on the item and security staff ready to swoop.

Exhibition work by Saoirse Towler

The following day Mr Eddery watched in amazement from his cellar as CCTV footage showed the thieves returning and casually removing the picture. Within 10 minutes security staff had arrived to apprehend the group. Stunned locals looked on as one of the gang attempted to order a beer whilst the police were called. 'We just couldn't believe it', Mr Eddery said.

All the prints have now been safely returned and a local woman has been charged, to stand trial in December.

A version of this story later appeared in The Brighton Argus - click here to view