Fossils dinosaur footprints stolen from a South Wales beach

A WILDLIFE cop has revealed the inside story of how fossils of dinosaur footprints stolen from a South Wales beach and sold on the internet were recovered.

Wildlife crime officer Alan Stewart’s book The Thin Green Line tells how fossilised imprints of dinosaur feet were stolen from Bendrick Rock, next to Barry Docks, and ended up advertised for sale on eBay.

Mr Stewart, 62, says the imprints were cut from the rock and ended up all over the world – from the popular fossil-hunting ground of Lyme Regis to Tennessee, USA.

Mr Stewart, who joined Tayside Police in 1966 and became a civilian wildlife crime officer 12 years ago, said: “Somebody had chipped a large section of rock containing the prints and they were beginning to appear at locations around the UK.

“One was found advertised for sale on eBay after being sold by a dealer based in Hertfordshire for £199.”

The case of the stolen dinosaur feet was probed by Sergeant Ian Guildford, who then worked for South Wales Police, but has since been seconded to the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW).

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