A PAINTING worth hundreds of pounds has been stolen from the Suffolk offices of a prestigious auction house.

Laurence Cawley

A PAINTING worth hundreds of pounds has been stolen from the Suffolk offices of a prestigious auction house.

The small 12cm by 16cm depiction of Harwich Harbour by the 19th Century Ipswich painter John Moore was taken from Bonhams' in Bury St Edmunds.

A spokeswoman for the police said it was on display in Athenaeum Lane and the owner had seen it shortly before it was stolen last Tuesday.

It is understood the painting was on sale at Bonhams and was valued in the hundreds rather than thousands of pounds.

Moore, who painted landscapes and coastal scenes worked in Woodbridge before moving to Ipswich in about 1850. He became a member of the Ipswich Art Club in 1875, and exhibited 332 works there.

The painting, called “Harwich Harbour” was stolen between 6pm and 6.30pm.

Police say nothing else was stolen by the thief.

Anybody with information should contact Pc Pat O'Donnell on 01284 774100 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.