LONDON (Commodity Online): Advertisements promising cash for Gold may trigger thefts in Britain, according to reports appearing in the media.

A Birmingham Post report said the ads may be fuelling a 25 per cent increase in thefts of the precious metal across the West Midlands.

Police say the increase in gold thefts could be linked to the arrival of postal services promising cash for unwanted gold.

The postal services have sprung up to take advantage of the current record-breaking price of gold. They have already hit the headlines for allegedly ripping off unsuspecting consumers with low prices for the weight of gold sent in.

But police are concerned that checks are not made on who owns the gold in the first place. And officers have urged jewellery wearers themselves to avoid flashing their jewellery in a bid to combat an increase in street thefts.

Businesses in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter have also been hit by a series of robberies, with a slight rise in the number of delivery and security vehicles being targeted in the last 12 months.

On a street level, thieves are ambushing some victims from behind to rip valuable chains off their necks.

Birmingham Post report said in many cases the jewellery also has strong sentimental value, and has been passed down through generations of the same family.

High visibility police patrols also have been stepped up around the Jewellery Quarter where officers are liaising closely with shops that are expecting deliveries.

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