Monroe jewellery stolen

This ring was one of the items stolen

Two items of jewellery which used to belong to Hollywood legend Marilyn Monroe have been stolen from an exhibition.

A gold ring with an M motif, encrusted with diamonds, and a gold bangle, worth £40,000 in total, were snatched from County Hall in central London.

The items were stolen at 1520 BST on Monday when about 150 visitors were strolling through the gallery.

A man who was arrested nearby in connection with the thefts has been bailed to return to a south London police station and police are continuing to look for another man.

Marilyn Monroe - Life Of A Legend opened on 9 April and is billed as "the biggest ever exhibition devoted to the life of the ultimate screen icon".

The exhibition is at County Hall

There are more than 250 items on show, including previously unseen photographs, mementoes from the Hollywood star's childhood and designer dresses.

Antonia Spanos, head of exhibitions, said: "The thieves wandered in quite aggressively without buying tickets so our staff were alerted.

"It appears that they pushed one of the cabinets, grabbed what they could and ran.

"Two members of security staff ran after them."

'Not art lovers'

Ms Spanos said Monroe had worn the items of jewellery when she was going out but later gave the pieces to close friend Bebe Goddard.

She added: "Some of the artworks in the show were a lot more valuable. But I guess the thieves came in and saw something sparkly and beautiful and grabbed it.

"They were obviously not art lovers because they didn't know what to head for."

The jewellery, which was on loan from auction house Cooper Owen, was due to go under the hammer in September.

Highlights of the exhibition include a bed which the star slept in, and the dress and jewellery worn on her first date with Jo DiMaggio.

Works by Andy Warhol, Peter Blake and Henri Cartier-Bresson, inspired by the Some Like It Hot star, are also on display.

The exhibition, designed as a tribute to Marilyn's "lasting popularity", is set to run until 14 September in the former home of the Greater London Council.