A LARGE number of items have been stolen from a Ventnor museum gift shop this afternoon (Sunday).

Sophie Blake, who runs Longshoreman's Museum gift shop on Ventnor Esplanade, says as many as 80 pieces of jewellery have been stolen.

Among the items taken were 40 necklaces, 30 paua shellfish on silver chains and ten hematite crosses.

Sophie says the items were taken between 12pm and 1pm, and she is in the process of checking CCTV.

Sophie has asked anyone who sees someone selling or in possession of the items to contact her.

UPDATE: 

Sophie says the items have now been recovered.