Antique dealer Tim Hogarth has released this CCTV image of a woman wanted in connection with a £3,000 jewellery theft at his city centre pawnbrokers shop.

The store in Kirkgate has been targeted by thieves three times in the past six months and as a result expensive items of jewellery are no longer being displayed there.

In the latest incident, which occurred on Tuesday, April 10, a woman, described as Eastern European, is believed to have pocketed up to six items of gold jewellery at the counter while a young boy distracted a shop assistant.

The woman asked for some boxes and was told to wait outside while the shop assistant fetched them from a store room. When the shop assistant returned, the pair had disappeared. Three chains, a bracelet and a ring are among items known to have been taken.

Mr Hogarth said he was offering a £500 reward for information on the woman if or when she is arrested.

He said: “It’s very frustrating. You feel you are being targeted. We can’t risk it happening again. We have customers who want to buy gold and we can’t put it on display because of this.”

Mr Hogarth, who gives expert advice on TV’s Dickinson’s Real Deal, said police were linking the incident with two other thefts at the shop including one in November when thieves escaped with £10,000 of jewellery after the manager was distracted by a gang.

The dealer’s Cash for Gold shop in James Street has also been targeted several times with a woman last month believed to have prised open metal shutters and smashed a window to gain entry.

A 14-carat gold ring with diamonds, valued at several hundred pounds and a £725 pair of diamond ear rings were among jewellery taken.

A police spokesman said a woman entered the Kirkgate shop with a boy at around 2pm on Tuesday, April 10, and jewellery was removed from a display case while the attendant was distracted.

He said: “CCTV inquiries are ongoing. No arrests have been made as yet and I would urge anyone with information about the property taken or the people in the image to come forward.”

To contact police call 101 or Crimestoppers, in confidence, on 0800 555111.