Allan Tierney was found guilty of burglary at Snaresbrook Crown Court last Friday (June 7), after he “targeted” and stole the president’s chain of office from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's (RPS) museum.

Police were called to the RPS building in Tower Hamlets, London, in the early hours of November 11, 2018. CCTV and forensic enquiries led to Mr Tierney’s arrest in December.

However, the chain has not yet been recovered, and the Metropolitan Police are appealing for information on its whereabouts.

Chain “of great importance”

Detective constable Sophie Hayes said Mr Tierney was a “determined burglar” who had “specifically targeted a museum exhibit of great importance to the RPS”.

“Although the chain has a significant financial value, its historical value to the society is also immeasurable,” she added.

The chain dates from 1901 and is comprised of 58 18-carat gold panels, the RPS explained to C+D. It is engraved with the names of all past RPS presidents from 1841-1968.

Commenting on Mr Tierney’s sentencing, RPS chief executive Paul Bennett told C+D: “We are grateful to the Metropolitan Police for their work in bringing the thief to justice. The chain is irreplaceable, and we are deeply saddened by the loss.”

Anyone with information about the chain’s whereabouts should contact the police on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.