How did Claudia Rostas steal the diamond ring?

Claudia Rostas used a distraction technique, swapping the ring from its box while a jeweller was momentarily turned away.

Why was Claudia Rostas spared jail for her theft?

She was spared jail because her 12-year-old son is undergoing cancer treatment, and she had previously lost another child to the same illness.

What was the value of the diamond ring stolen from Hamilton's?

The diamond ring stolen from Hamilton's jewellers was valued at £5,750.

Home / Crime and Justice / Thief's Slick Diamond Heist Caught on Camera

Thief's Slick Diamond Heist Caught on Camera

22 Jan

•

Summary

Distraction thief stole a diamond ring worth £5,750.
Thief spared jail due to son's cancer treatment.
CCTV footage captured the entire deception in detail.

Thief's Slick Diamond Heist Caught on Camera

Video footage captured the moment Claudia Rostas, a 33-year-old member of a Romanian gang, deftly stole a diamond ring valued at £5,750. The incident occurred on April 26, 2025, at Hamilton's, a family-run jewellers in Christchurch, Dorset. Rostas employed a distraction technique, asking staff to gift-wrap the ring, then swapping it out as the jeweller turned away for a few seconds. She handed back an empty package and left the store, claiming she needed more money from her mother outside. The theft was meticulously recorded by the jeweller's CCTV system, leading to Rostas's identification and arrest at Stansted Airport. She was given a 26-week sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to pay £800 compensation. Despite a history of similar thefts, Rostas received a lenient sentence. Her defence highlighted her son's ongoing battle with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and a brain tumour, and the loss of another child to cancer in 2022. The judge cited these circumstances in sparing her immediate imprisonment. District Judge Orla Austin acknowledged Rostas's 'dishonest' nature and 'limited remorse' but opted for a suspended sentence to allow her to care for her terminally ill son. Rostas also received a one-year ban from most shops in England and Wales.