Two men have appeared in court charged with burglary after jewellery worth around £60,000 was stolen from a house in Upton Bishop near Ross-on-Wye.

One of the men – 25-year-old Benjamin Timmins of no fixed abode – also faced charges of blackmail and witness intimidation during his appearance at Worcester Magistrates' Court on Saturday, November 16th.

The charges relate to a burglary which happened on Tuesday, November 12th, after which, it is alleged, the victim was asked for money for the return of the stolen items.

Timmins was remanded into custody following his appearance and is next due before Worcester Crown Court in February 2014. The second man, who was charged with the burglary only, was released on bail to appear before court on the same day.

In light of the incident, West Mercia Police is urging residents to review the security in their own homes and take steps to ensure they make their homes unappealing to burglars.

For more stories in full please see this week's Ross Gazette.