Man Jailed For Bognor Jewellery Shop Break-In

A man has been sentenced for his part in a break-in at a jewellery shop in Bognor.

Freddie Stevens, from Bordon, Hampshire, was caught on footage smashing through shutters at The Arcade in the High Street using a stolen vehicle.

Police say he stole stock from Clayden and Co worth around £30,000.

Officers arrived within minutes of the alarm being triggered. The investigation traced the movements of stolen vehicles, including a Range Rover Evoque found burnt out on the A29 at Slindon, en-route to Stevens’ home. Stevens’ DNA was also recovered from inside the store.

He was arrested and charged with burglary and two counts of taking a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent.

At Chichester Crown Court on 27 January, Stevens was jailed for two years.

The court heard that two Range Rovers were stolen in Yapton and Pulborough in the early hours of 11 November.

One vehicle was then driven into The Arcade, smashing shutters along the High Street and Belmont Street entrances.

Alarm footage showed a man matching Stevens’ description dismantling the shutters.

The incident forced all stores in the shopping centre to close for two days for repairs, and Clayden and Co reported that up to half of their stock was taken, causing a major impact ahead of Christmas.

District Commander Chief Inspector Adam McCaig said:

“This was a shocking incident that caused significant disruption to businesses and the community.

"Thanks to quick action by officers and support from the public, Stevens has now been brought to justice and is serving a custodial sentence.”

Anyone with further information can contact Sussex Police online, quoting serial 71 of 11/11/2026, or call CrimeStoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.