A SHOPKEEPER bravely confronted a thief who snatched a £14,000 diamond ring in a brazen daylight raid.

But Angela Close, who owns the Ryedale Antiques shop that was targeted, was unable to prevent the man getting away.

Police are now hunting for him, but Mrs Close, 66, said she had given up all hope of ever seeing the valuable ring again.

PC Ian Fraser, of Malton Police, said the offender had gone into Bridge Antiques, in Bridge Street, Helmsley, and asked to look inside a jewellery cabinet.

He said: "The offender took a gold ring from inside the cabinet, and managed to run off down the street."

Mrs Close, 66, spotted what the lone thief was doing, and challenged him, but he was able to escape.

Mrs Close said: "I saw him do it - he flicked the ring from one hand to the other, but he denied he had got it. I tackled him and had a good go at him, trying to turn out his pockets, but he was just too quick and he ran off.

"He wasn't armed, or aggressive, so it could have been worse, but I just get so cross at these people."

The latest raid is not the first to hit the antiques shop. In August last year, a solitaire diamond ring worth £12,000 was taken from the same shop, then called Buckingham Antiques. It was never recovered.

Mrs Close said such thefts were "a hazard of the job", but pledged to keep the business going.

She said: "It is not the first time this has happened and it won't be the last - it doesn't matter how many security precautions you take.

"They go for the most valuable ring they can see, because rings are small and easy to get rid of. Even if he sold it for a fiver, he would still have made a profit. I'm sure it is lost and gone forever - if it ever turned up, it would be a miracle.

"A lot of my friends ask why I keep doing it, but you can't give in. I have built up a very nice business and I would hate to see it go because of criminals like this."

The missing ring is an emerald-cut five-diamond ring, with baguette shoulders, said to be worth about £14,000.

The incident happened on Thursday, February 2. The offender was white, about 27 years old, 5ft 10ins tall, of medium build and with short, blond hair. He was wearing a cream fleece jacket and beige trousers, and spoke with a North-East accent.

Anyone with any information about the raid should contact Malton Police on 0845 6060247.

Updated: 15:48 Wednesday, February 15, 2006