POLICE have warned the public to be on their guard after a man had a valuable gold chain stolen from around his neck by people of Eastern European appearance pretending to sell him jewellery.

The incident happened outside the Swan Inn, Highweek Street, Newton Abbot, at 3.25pm on Tuesday, when the man was standing outside the pub.

A silver four-door Skoda drew up and a woman aged in her 40s and a boy of about 16 approached him. The woman put some jewellery round his neck, pretending to try to sell it, then removed his own gold chain, jumped into the car and drove off.

PC Emma Sidebotham, based at Newton Abbot, carried out initial inquiries and said the chain was worth more than £2,000.

'They left the cheap necklaces on him and took the valuable one. I think he was quite shocked by it.'

The incident was captured on CCTV and it is currently being examined by CID.

She said that similar incidents have happened elsewhere, including Totnes.

'I don't know whether they are the same people but the descriptions sound similar and so does the method.'

The woman is described as being in her 40s and was wearing a brightly-coloured traditional headscarf and has a front tooth missing.

'If anyone is approached by people trying to sell them things forcefully, don't let them and call the police.'

PC Sidebotham said it is believed to be the first time this has happened in Newton Abbot but Chris Long of Newton Abbot CCTV said similar crimes had happened here before.

The perpertrators are thought to be coming from Birmingham or London.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the police on 0845 2777444 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111, quoting crime number JN/11/715.