The mystery surrounding a vanishing jeweller has deepened.

the riddle remains unsolved despite sightings of Cross Hills businessman Stephen Perry in the village.

As reported in the Keighley News a fortnight ago, Mr Perry, who owns a Main Street jewellery shop, went missing a couple of months ago. Customers were concerned because he had items of their jewellery for repair.

then Mr Perry was found safe and well, enjoying an extended holiday on the south coast. Customers looked forward to his return to the village and the reopening of the shop.

According to several different accounts Mr Perry is now back in Cross Hills, yet his shop remains firmly closed.

Customers' concern is now turning to anger.

Hazel Brear, who works at The Hair Shop in Cross Hills, took a watch fob into Mr Perry's shop about ten weeks ago to have a link soldered. A week later Mr Perry disappeared. Mrs Brear, who bought the fob as a 21st birthday present for her daughter, still has not got it back. "I haven't seen him but I've heard that he has been seen," she says angrily.

Mrs Brear has posted a letter through the heavily-secured door of the shop asking for the fob to be returned - repaired or not. She says: "I just want it back."

A local shopkeeper told us she had heard that Mr Perry has been seen in the shop at night but had not opened it as far as she was aware.

The shop, which has been closed for about nine weeks, looks to be part-empty with many of the display cabinets cleared of jewellery.

Cross Hills police have managed to contact Mr Perry and have made him aware of his customers' concerns.

a police spokesman confirmed this week: "He is back in the area. Whether or not he has opened his shop I don't know. As far as whether he's contacted the people I don't know, but he has been given the numbers of the people who have contacted us. At the moment it's a civil thing as he's issued receipts for property that he's still got. We will give a reasonable amount of time and if he doesn't sort it out we could speak to him."

At the moment it's not a criminal offence."

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