£1m lighthouse lantern stolen in Devon
The 19th century lantern was taken from a storage unit in Ilfracombe
A nineteenth century lighthouse lantern worth around one million pounds has been stolen from a storage unit in Devon.
The lamp, which weighs two tonnes, was one of a number of items taken from the Qubik Space Storage Facility, on the Mullacott Industrial Estate, Ilfracombe, on the night of Monday 24 January.the unit in Ilfracombe on Monday night.
The break-in is being linked to a number of other burglaries in the area of the Devon town between Sunday 23 January and Tuesday 25 January.
A man aged in his 30s from the West Midlands area has been arrested on suspicion of burglary and is currently in police custody.
The 19th century lantern is constructed from around 12 separate brass frames with precisely cut curved glass sections. It also has a sectional solid brass supporting structure.
Until it was dismantled, it was thought to be the only working one of its kind in the world.
A marine inboard motor, high-quality fishing tackle and power tools were also taken, and officers are appealing for help to recover them.
Detective Inspector Praveen Naidoo said: “We are keen to recover these items for the owners, some of which are of a particularly high value.
“The break-in at the storage facility was one of a number of high-value burglaries and break-ins in the area that we believe are all connected.
“We are taking this matter extremely seriously and it is vital that anyone with any information that could assist us with our investigation contacts us immediately.
“We would especially like to hear from anyone who can help us to locate the stolen items.”
If you witnessed the incident or have any information that could help the police with their enquiries, please email 101@dc.police.uk or call 101, quoting CR/006981/22.