Harry Peverill from Banbury was overjoyed when his extensive collection of 115 pocket watches were returned home.
The watches has been stolen 17 months previously from his home in Banbury. Peverill says that he had lost all hope of ever being reunited with his treasures.
The thief was caught after staff at a Cash Converters in Coventry grew suspicious about his transaction. When police seized the items four days after the burglary, the watches were almost untraceable until PC James Rees noticed a postcode marked on the back of one of the pocket watches written in UV pen. This was the evidence needed to return the treasures home. The pocket watches then made a 34 mile journey home to Banbury.
On August 6th the 29 year old burglar pleaded guilty to the crime and was sentenced to a 16 week sentence, suspended for 12 months.
The PC who aided in the returning of the collection, James Rees said: “It is always incredibly satisfying to return stolen items to where they belong, especially when they are irreplaceable and embody so much sentiment and memory as these watches do.”
If you are looking to expand your collection we have a range of antique pocket watches as well as a recently addedantique pocket compassavailable.
Image: escape under Creative Commons
