As thefts go, the woman caught on CCTV tucking an £11,000 rare guitar inside her fur coat before nonchalantly walking out of a music shop could not have been more brazen. Even as she and her accomplice left Peach Guitars in Colchester they turned to the staff to smile and wave goodbye.

But it has now emerged that the couple is behind a series of thefts of valuable and often rare musical instruments from shops throughout the country and across Europe.

Now the industry body representing music stores is urging police forces to work together to hunt down the pair thought to have evaded capture during a crime spree spanning more than 10 years.

Alan Priest, owner of Peach Guitars in Colchester, said they were “utterly brazen” as they stole the £11,000 PRS Brazilian Mccarty 594 guitar last month.

“She was wearing a thick, black fur coat. I didn’t take any notice because it was a cold day. But from the CCTV you can see there’s a bracket in the coat. According to other music shops who have contacted us they have been doing this for up to 15 years.

“Her accomplice took the security lock off and threw in the back of a guitar amplifier. She just held her coat open and the guitar was fitted straight in. It took no more than a few seconds. They were so relaxed that they even waved goodbye to my staff as they left.”