An art gallery in Weymouth was broken into just days after opening.
Artwey Galley opened at the site of a former jewellers - and previously the Body Shop - in St Thomas Street in the town centre on Monday, September 16.
Several unique jewellery artworks created by local artist Silvia Pineda were stolen between Friday afternoon and Saturday morning from the premises after thieves forced entry into the building and stole the items from a locked cabinet.
Artists are 'refusing' to let the break-in 'overshadow' the hard work they have put into a new exhibition.
Silvia said: "I was disappointed by the recent theft of my jewellery but have replenished my collection for the exhibition.
"I invite everyone to visit the Artwey Gallery and enjoy the full display of my work. Your support means a lot."
The theft took place just days after the successful launch of the gallery in Weymouth's town centre, but organisers are 'determined' to not allow the thefts to dampen their spirits either.
Hilly Longman, chair of Artwey said: “We are undeterred but very disappointed by the theft, especially so soon after such
a positive launch.
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“However, this only strengthens our resolve to continue celebrating the creativity of our artists.
"We refuse to let this theft overshadow the hard work and passion that has gone into this exhibition, and we invite the community to come and support us.”
DJ Property, which acquired the building along with the adjacent old Rectory building earlier this year and Artwey have taken immediate action to reinforce security measures at the gallery and will remove all valuables overnight.
"We are incredibly grateful for the support we've received from DJ Property and the wider community, and we are more committed than ever to making this exhibition a success.”
Artwey and DJ Property are appealing to the public for any information that could help recover the stolen jewellery artworks and have urged anyone with information to contact the police directly.
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Mickey Jones, chief executive at DJ Property, played a key role in bringing the gallery to life.
He said: “Every bit of information could be crucial in helping us find those responsible and recover these unique pieces.
"This incident is unfortunate, but it has shown us just how resilient and dedicated the Artwey team is.
"We are proud to stand by them and are confident that this exhibition will continue to be a celebration of Weymouth's vibrant artistic community.”
Following the break-in Dawn Rondeau-Irvine, chief operations officer for We Are Weymouth, the town's Business Improvement District (BID), has also expressed her concerns about the incident.
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She said: “Weymouth is a great town in which to live and work and it is a shame that a very small minority try to ruin it for the majority.
“We are pleased that our BID Rangers actively work with police and businesses to thwart attempts of shoplifting and are saddened at the news of the recent break-in to the Artwey Gallery provided by DJ Property.
"We would urge businesses to remain vigilant in assisting police with their enquiries and encourage all businesses to use the crime communication system provided by the BID for our business community.”
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The gallery will continue to feature a diverse range of artwork by local artists in weekly exhibitions including paintings, ceramics, textiles, sculptures, and jewellery.
It is open from 10am to 4pm, Monday through Saturday.
A spokesperson for Dorset Police said: "Dorset Police received a report at around 10.30am on Saturday, September 21 of a break-in at a gallery in St Thomas Street in Weymouth.
"The incident is reported to have occurred between 4.15pm on Friday, September 20 and 10am on Saturday September 21.
"Enquiries will be carried out into the incident. No arrests have been made at this time."
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