WATCHES and jewellery worth more than £20,000 has been stolen in a burglary at a collector’s home.

The property in Durham Road, Chester-le-Street, County Durham, was raided between 2pm on Saturday, April 5, and just after midnight the following day while it was unoccupied.

The haul consists of an IWC GST limited edition Saint Exupery watch valued at £2,650 and a £1,170 steel bracelet strap for it; a £4,195 Rolex Milguass GV (anniversary edition) watch; an IWC Aquatimer 2000 watch, worth £3,270 and a £180 rubber strap for it; a Laco Uhrenmanufaktur Paderborn watch valued at £561 and a leather strap worth £75; a Rolex Submariner date watch valued at £5,700; a Panerai Radiomir California three days watch worth £5,600; an 18-carat gold pocket watch with glass missing from the face and a brass replacement winder fitted; a gold Star of David pendant; and about £200 in pound coins.

Detective Constable Eric Coulson said the burglary took place on the day of the Grand National while the house was unoccupied.

He added that the gold pocket watch is of sentimental value to the victim as it had belonged to his great grandfather and had first sparked his interest in collecting watches.

He said: “Each of the stolen watches is marked with a unique registration number, making it easily identifiable."

Anyone with information about the break-in itself, or the whereabouts of any of the stolen items, is asked to contact Durham Constabulary via the non-emergency number 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555-111.