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This is the moment a brazen thief stole a diamond ring in full view of a little girl.

Shocking CCTV shows the man pocketing the £1,500 gem at a jewellers in Newcastle.

Jeweller David Hall was appalled when he viewed the footage, which shows a member of his staff being duped by a man who entered his shop on Gosforth High Street with his family.

He told the Newcastle Chronicle of his anger that someone would steal in full view of a young impressionable child.

The 59-year-old said: “They looked like a normal family. The little girl was presentable, there was no reason to think they would steal anything.

“We are a family run business. We have always known that there are people who will take advantage.”

(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)

“I have run this shop for about 20 years. We have had people steal things in the past.

“It’s amazing what people can do without getting noticed. But it is unusual for someone to have a child in tow. I think that’s a bit off. The child sees everything. It’s unbelievable.”

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A member of staff was serving at David Hall Goldsmith’s when a man and woman came in with a young child, sometime between 1pm and 1.30pm on Monday, July 20 last year.

The adults asked to view a pendant in a window display and, while the shop assistant was distracted, the man reached over to pocket the ring, worth £1,500.

But it was not until David viewed the CCTV later that day that he realised what had happened.

(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)

“We had three people come in the shop,” David explained.

“They asked to look at something in the window, fairly low down and the assistant just served them normally. She bent down to get this locket out that they asked to see then the guy reached over the top of her and picked up a diamond ring and put it in his pocket.

“They looked at the pendant, asked a few questions, then said they would think about it and left. Then within an hour or so the staff noticed the ring was missing and that’s when I looked at the CCTV.”

Despite the clear CCTV which catches the thief in the act, police have still been unable to identify the suspects.

And officers are now re-appealing for information.

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A Northumbria Police spokeswoman said: “We are re-appealing for any information.

“Anyone with information about the theft of the ring should call Northumbria Police on 101 quoting reference 646 24/07/15.”

Staff at David Hall Goldsmith’s faced a terrifying ordeal when the shop was held-up by armed robbers in July 1.

Armed with a hammer and ammonia spray, the raiders attacked workers before helping themselves to rings worth around £50,000.

(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)

Caught on CCTV the pair could be seen grabbing the gems and fleeing with the black holdall they had brought to transport their haul.

They also used a white VW sports car which was stolen from a woman the day before when she left the keys in the ignition as she used recycling bins at Sainsbury’s in Cramlington.

Staff were forced to run into the back of the shop when the raiders sprayed them with ammonia.

Assistant Paul Mason managed to chase after the pair as they fled down an alleyway near the shop. He later needed treatment at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary.

Another employee, David Turner, was also taken to hospital while the remaining five workers were uninjured.

Margaret Smith, who was working in the shop at the time, said: “I looked up and I saw these two men. One pulled a scarf over his face and sprayed ammonia in the shop.

“And they smashed the cabinet with the hammer. It was terrifying. I just didn’t know where to turn. It has really shaken us all up.”

The 59-year-old said that although all the staff had recovered physically, they were still mentally affected by what happened.

She added: “They are all very well. Thankfully there have been no ill effects. But I do sometimes still get nervous if I see two men coming in.”

The robbers left their £21,000 getaway vehicle in a car park at the rear of the shop on Gosforth High Street and ran back to it after taking the jewellery.

The car, which had been fitted with fake registration plates after it was stolen, was later found parked up at Fairspring in West Denton on July 16.