A jewel thief who daringly stole more than £200,000 of gems has been jailed for five years.

Clint Crafton, 35, of Sutton Court, in Brighton Road, broke in to jewellers Ernest Jones between January 14 and 17 this year.

First, he forced his way into the Times Square shopping centre while dozens of people mingled in nearby bars and pubs outside.

Andrew Ramsubhag, prosecuting, said Crafton entered Ernest Jones at about 11.30pm on January 14, when he found a way into the centre.

Once inside the jewellers, he cleared the entire display window of diamonds, rings, bracelets, pendants, watches and many other items worth a total of £221,847.

Mr Ramsubhag said: “He tried to open the safe and the electronics were exposed.”

Dermot Keating, defending Crafton, said his client had 77 offences on his criminal record but had kept out of trouble for seven years.

He said: “He had been working regularly, but the recession hit him and he foolishly turned to crime again.”

Judge Heather Baucher, sentencing Crafton at Croydon Crown Court on Tuesday, said: “This is a well-known business. It doesn’t sell peanuts and sweets. You knew full well there would be substantial value.

“It was not a random one-off crime in the sense you were just walking along and happened to see the shop. It must have been thought-out by you. It had all the hallmarks of a professional burglary.”

Judge Baucher also said she did not accept the recession as an excuse to commit crimes of this nature.

She said: “You had been in remission and had settled down but you could not get work and decided to take part in this venture.

“There are many people affected by the economic downturn.

"There is hardly a person who is not affected, and that includes bankers and those down to the lowest level.”

Crafton, who pleaded guilty to robbery, was a football coach with Cheam Rangers and also the manager of a girls team, who had allegedly been impressed with his professionalism.