Reward for ring stolen from church as bride said vows

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-27886977

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A £1,000 reward is being offered for the return of a £6,000 engagement ring that was stolen from a church as the bride said her vows.

A handbag containing the sapphire and diamond-encrusted platinum ring was taken in West Sussex as Caroline Marshall, 32, and James Granshaw, 29, got married.

The couple's families have put up the reward following the theft on 7 June.

A 43-year-old man from Brighton has been formally questioned, police said.

Before the ceremony, the bride gave the bespoke ring to her bridesmaid, who put it in her handbag.

The bag was then stolen from the porch of the parish church of St Peter ad Vincula in Wisborough Green.

Using a tracking device on an iPhone that was in the bag, detectives from Sussex Police traced the ring to Haywards Heath and then to Highcroft Villas in Brighton on the day of the theft.

The phone was then switched off, a police spokesman said.

Mr Granshaw's father Mervyn, from Guildford in Surrey, said: "We are hoping the reward, which is quite substantial because of the huge sentimental value of the ring, will encourage someone who knows something to come forward.

"James put a lot of effort in creating a ring that was ethically sourced and Caroline has been left heartbroken that it is gone."

PC Mathew Willcocks, of Sussex Police, said: "Our investigations have led us to believe that a silver '53' registered Peugeot 206 has followed that route and we would appeal to anyone with information to contact us.

"The reward put up by the family I hope will prompt someone to come forward with valuable information that will lead to the recovery of the ring and the arrest of those responsible."