A ‘lovey dovey’ couple stole two diamond rings worth more than £12,000 after one pretended to faint while buying jewellery to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary, Sheffield Crown Court heard today.
Lucinda Griere, 42, and Philippe Delaurton, 50, donned wigs and glasses and were shown five gold rings, each bearing a diamond, when they began ‘kissing and cuddling’ at a jewellery shop, the trial was told.
The pair were ‘fooling around’ when sales assistant Doreen Chambers went behind the counter to bring out the boxes on 11 November last year, the court heard.
Prosecutor Stephen Smyth said: “Ms Chambers told the police the couple were kissing and cuddling, and had seemed very lovey dovey.
“But ladies and gentlemen, this was all a charade in order to distract Ms Chambers.”
She also said the couple have not married, but have been in an ‘intense relationship’ for two years.
It was alleged Griere ‘suddenly collapsed’ after trying on three rings, which Delaurton, who looked ‘panicked’, explained was led on by diabetes.
Prosecutor Smyth said: “This was yet another lie. Griere has no such medical history.”
The jury heard Griere said ‘I’m so sorry to be a nuisance’ when Ms Chambers came around the counter to help.
The court was told the CCTV footage showed Delaurton had ‘slyly’ passed two stolen rings in their boxes to Griere, who then put them inside the pocket of her jacket shortly before they left Eternal Gems jewellery shop in Graftsbury Road, Crookes.
It was claimed Ms Chambers thought the rings were still in the closed boxes when she returned them back into the lockable drawers.
Prosecutor Smyth said: “Mr Delaurton must, before Ms Chambers put away the five boxes she saw on the counter, have replaced those two with identical but empty boxes bearing the shop’s name, which he must have procured somehow previously.”
The pair, both of Lime Tree Avenue, Fulwood, Sheffield, were arrested in January this year after Griere’s DNA was found on a ring she tried on.
They both pleaded not guilty to theft, and the stolen rings have not been recovered.
The trial continues.
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