Lighthouse Lantern worth £1m stolen during burglary spree in Ilfracombe

A man in his 30s has been arrested after a lighthouse lantern worth a million pounds was stolen in Ilfracombe.

The 19th Century lantern, which weighs around two tonnes, was taken from the Qubik Space Storage Facility on the Mullacott Industrial Estate on Monday night (January 24).

The burglary is thought to be connected to a series of other break-ins that have happened in the town between Sunday (January 23) and Tuesday (January 25).

Detective Inspector Praveen Naidoo from Devon and Cornwall Police said: “One of the items stolen in the burglary is of particular historical significance, being a lighthouse lantern dating back to the mid to late 1800s and is valued close to £1m.

"Until it was dismantled for storage, it was believed to be the only remaining operational lantern of its type in the world."

Other high value items were also stolen, including a marine inboard motor, high-quality fishing tackle and power tools.

The man, who's from the West Midlands, has been arrested on suspicion of burglary and is currently in police custody.

Officers are appealing for information to help recover the stolen items and for any witnesses.

DI 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, police say you should contact them by emailing 101@dc.police.uk or calling 101, and quoting CR/006981/22.

Those who wish to stay anonymous can call independent charity CrimeStoppers online or by calling 0800 555 111.