Gem thieves steal monster sapphire

The owner of the world's second-biggest sapphire has spoken of her "shock and disbelief" after her family heirloom was stolen.

The 120.4-carat jewel, worth about £785,000, and a £37,702 diamond necklace, belonged to Russian-born Dasha Sterlikova.

Ms Sterlikova brought the gems to Britain from her family home in Washington, USA, to wear at her wedding to John Campbell, managing director of the Moving Pictures publishing company.

But the jewellery was stolen from a safe at Mr Campbell's office in Chitty Street, in London, last month.

Mr Campbell, 48, and Ms Sterlikova, a 26-year-old film buyer, had been planning to sell the jewels after the wedding and use the money to buy a new house. But on the night of Saturday 9 August, when Ms Sterlikova was having her birthday party at the couple's home in Ladbroke Grove, thieves raided the office.

Ms Sterlikova said the jewels, which were not insured, had been in the family for several generations.

They were given to her by her father, a former diplomatic attaché ¡t the Russian embassy in London, who was assassinated in Russia for his liberal political views 10 years ago.

Ms Sterlikova said police did not have any real clues to the identity of the robbers.

She said: "I feel terrible, really guilty, as they belonged to the family.

When I heard on the Sunday morning what had happened my first reaction was shock and disbelief.

"I couldn't believe they had broken into the safe until I saw it for myself. I thought they would be secure there, you just don't think anyone would do something like this.

"Not many people knew they were there - it seems the thieves knew what they were looking for and where they were. It feels like it might be an inside job, which is very difficult for me to cope with."

She added: "The sapphire will be a very difficult piece to shift, it is so outstanding. I am just hoping someone will find it."

Mr Campbell said: "The thieves broke in through the back door and then through the security door. They

searched the office, turning everything upside down. They stole a couple of computers, but the police believe it was a cover-up - what they really wanted was the jewels.

"When we found the safe on the Sunday morning the lock cover was broken and the door was wide open. They knew where they were."

Mr Campbell added: "This was a terrible shock and an awful thing to happen just before our wedding. My wife is devastated."

Detective Sergeant Colette Smyth, of the burglary squad, said: "We believe that this sapphire is unique. There is no other like it in the world."

Anyone with any information should call Camden police on 020 8733 6167 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.