A jewellery store owner has made an appeal to the public to look out for three pieces of jewellery that were stolen from her shop window.
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Owner of The Bendigo Bead Experience in Lyttleton Terrace, Susan Hey, said a necklace and two hair pieces were taken this morning while she was teaching a lesson in another part of the store.
"I'd say it was quite specifically targeted because they were the three nicest pieces in the cabinet," Ms Hey said.
The items were in a locked cabinet in the front of the shop.
"They ripped the whole padlock off - they really wanted it," Ms Hey said.
She said police had fingerprinted the cabinet but were unable to get a decent print because the thief slid the items of the shelf, smudging the fingerprints.
Ms Hey said the pieces were not for sale but were on display from her personal collection.
She said they were original 1920s pieces and were irreplaceable.
"I've got no way of ever replacing them," she said.
Ms Hey said the pieces were not for general wear, but were for special occasions or elaborate costumes.
"With The Great Gatsby and everything I've got a feeling that's why they've gone because they are very collectible at the moment," she said.
Ms Hey said she was devastated at the loss of the items and was willing to give a small reward of $50 to anyone who could return them to her.
She said she was unsure how much the pieces were worth.
"They are quite unsusual," Ms Hey said.
She said the beads on the necklace were "Czechoslovakian crystals" and were unlike anything she had seen before.