Jeweller is threatened with knife in raid

The thief tricked Andrew Thompson before producing a six inch-bladed steak knife. The teenager ran off wearing a heavy gold neck chain worth 2,500.

Police officers questioned cafe-owners on Wednesday.

They want to establish the thief's movements in the four hours between the first of his three visits to Lomax Jewellers in Sackville Road on Tuesday and the point where he made his getaway.

Andrew and Stephanie Thompson have run Lomax Jewellers for four years. Andrew, 40, has spent his working life in the jewellery trade, much of it in London's Hatton Garden.

He knows the risks working in a high-value market. But nothing prepared him for Tuesday's incident.

Andrew was alone in the shop when the raider struck.

He told the Observer: "The man came in three times in all. He was looking at a heavy gold chain we had in the window.

"He seemed quite plausible. We thought the chain would be bought by a young person.

"On the third time he called he asked if he could try it on.

"It is not unusual for someone to want to try on a chain, but it was the most expensive item in the shop so I stood by the door just in case.

"Then he said he wanted to take a photograph of himself wearing the chain to show his dad who was disabled.

"I thought he would get a mobile phone out of his pocket. Instead he pulled out a knife with a blade about six inches long.

"He threatened me with it and told me to get away from the door.

"He ran out wearing the chain and went off towards the sea. I phoned the police straight away."

He said: "Before he pulled the knife on me I had no suspicions really. I thought it would be a young person who bought the chain."

Detective Sergeant David Bristow told the Observer the weapon used was a steak knife with a six-inch blade.

The youth ran down Sackville Road and turned into Egerton Road."

He is described as a white male with sun-tanned skin, 18-19, of medium build and between 5ft 9ins and 5ft 10ins.

He had dark brown hair cut to about an inch all over.

He was wearing a blue Fred Perry-type t-shirt with collar and similar-coloured shellsuit trousers, possibly with a white stripe down the side.

DS Bristow said: "It was nasty. We don't have many offences like that in Bexhill, thankfully. He did the right thing in not challenging the guy.

"We are appealing for anyone who witnessed this incident or who was in the area at the time to contact Rother CID at Bexhill police station on 0845 6070999.

"Officers are checking cafes and shops in the area today. He had been in the area for four hours. I don't think he stood on a street corner for four hours. I think he may have gone into a cafe. So where did he go? We need to know..."