£1,000 reward after Lyme Regis jewellery shop burglary

But the small business owner says she has been overwhelmed by support from the community after customers launched fundraisers to support her.

It comes as a reward is put up to help track down those who targeted the premises, Jewellery by Lucy Campbell, at The Town Mill, in Mill Lane, Lyme Regis.

Owner Lucy had 'almost the entire stock' taken from her shop. Two other jewellers - Ann Bruford and Natalie Manifold - also had items stolen during the break-in.

The incident took place between around 1.40am and 2.45am on Tuesday, September 13.

A 59-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident.

Google Maps/Lucy Campbell (Image: Google Maps/Lucy Campbell)

The shop was boarded over following the burglary  Pictures: Google Maps / Lucy Campbell

Lucy said 'her priority' was getting her precious handmade jewellery returned.

She said: "It's very hard to come to terms with the reality of what happened. So much of my hard work has just been erased, in a way, and I've now got this enormous task of rebuilding the task and, essentially, starting my stock from scratch again."

"It's not just a burglary, it's quite literally turned my life upside down, it's my whole life. I'm still none the wiser as to whether I've still got a business to run a few months down the line."

Damage to the window and internal security means that Lucy will be unable to trade from the shop for some time - the building is listed meaning 'it's not a simple job of just swapping the window'.

Unbeknown to Lucy, two customers set up fundraisers to help her, and the business, 'get back on their feet' with just under £2,000 raised to date.

Lucy said the support she has received in the week since the break-in has been 'overwhelming': "The thing I've been bowled over is the community reaching out - locally but also customers from across the country.

"Amazingly, two people separately have set up crowdfunders for me off their own bat and I was overwhelmed by that because it showed what amazing support I've got and the goodwill we've been able to build up with customers."

Lucy said any funds raised would help the business purchase materials in order to rebuild.

Separately to the fundraiser, Lucy's parents have offered a reward of £1,000.

The jeweller said she 'desperately appealed to anyone who thinks they know anything' to report it to the police.

She said she was determined not to let the theft 'defeat her'.

Lucy said: "I've spent several days very upset and if I think about it too much I can feel completely defeated by it but I'm determined not to let that happen - it feels like such an attack - the thing that's kept me going has been the support I've been receiving.

"I really enjoy my job and I'm proud of what I've built up and I'm really keen to be able to get back to doing what I love doing - putting my heart and soul into jewellery that people love to wear but at the moment I'm really struggling to focus my mind on that."

PC Anthony Elswood, of West Dorset police, said: “We are carrying out a number of enquiries into this matter and have obtained images of some of the items of jewellery that were reportedly stolen.

"I would ask anyone who comes across these or similar items being offered for sale online or locally in unusual circumstances to please contact us.

“I would also like to hear from anyone who may have witnessed any suspicious activity in the area during the early hours of Tuesday 13 September, or anybody else with information that might assist our investigation.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police at www.dorset.police.uk/contact or by calling 101, quoting occurrence number 55220149883.