Watch: Thieves steal Bronze Age gold in Cambridgeshire museum heist

Police have released footage of two suspected thieves breaking into a museum and stealing gold Bronze Age artefacts dating back more than 3,000 years.

CCTV video shows two individuals in dark, hooded clothing forcing open a window and climbing into Ely Museum in Cambridgeshire in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

In footage from a second camera, the suspects are seen rushing further into the building before reappearing moments later heading in the opposite direction.

Cambridgeshire Constabulary confirmed that a gold torc and a gold bracelet, both originally found in East Cambridgeshire, had been taken.

The torc is thought to be one of the finest examples of its kind in the UK, with Ely Museum describing it as its “most-prized possession”.

The ornament was unearthed by a metal detectorist in a farmer’s field in 2015. It consists of 730g of almost pure gold and is thought to be worth more than £200,000.

The force said it was seeking two people seen on e-scooters close to the museum around the hours of midnight and 2am on Tuesday.

Detective Inspector Kiri Mazur said: “We have released this CCTV, not in the hope someone will recognise the figures, but to try to jog memories and encourage anyone with information to come forward.

“We are focused on identifying the offenders, tracing the items, and returning them to their rightful place and are working closely with staff at Ely Museum to follow all lines of inquiry.”

Ely Museum was closed to the public on Wednesday following the raid.

Curator Elie Hughes said: “We are devastated by the loss to the museum and to the local heritage of the region.

“It is a huge blow after the incredible support from the community in acquiring the torc in 2017. As a culturally significant object, it cannot be replaced.”

She added: “Our priority now is working with the police to locate the stolen objects.”