Police this week swooped on a Nagambie man over incidents at Benalla, Shepparton, Euroa, Heathcote and Nagambie.

Most of the stolen goods were recovered in the Tuesday raid.

“All up it’s more than $700,000 worth of stolen property, but that’s still to be confirmed,” Benalla CIU chief detective Sgt Shannon Murphy said.

“We recovered a massive amount of stolen jewellery, which is believed to be worth $400,000 to $500,000.”

The value of the thefts excluded the damage bill for those businesses raided.

The jewellery was stolen during a raid on Shepparton’s Purdeys Jewellers, a family-owned business that also has a shop in Benalla’s Bridge Street.

Simon Hepburn, 40, was arrested after police from the Benalla, Shepparton and Mitchell CIU units raided a house in Vine Street, Nagambie.

Sgt Murphy said the raid in which a large amount of property was recovered, was an outstanding result.

“We’re happy all the jewellery and other property has been recovered so quickly,” he said.

“The latest incident at Purdeys was overnight on Monday so it is satisfying for the victims that their property will be returned.”

Hepburn has been accused of breaking into seven properties from August 24 to October 14.

He did not apply for bail when he appeared in the Shepparton Magistrates Court yesterday.

The case was adjourned to the same court next Wednesday, when Hepburn will face 17 burglary-related charges.

Police said it was possible the number of charges could increase if they matched allegedly stolen property found at his Nagambie address to other break-ins.

Hepburn is accused of stealing sporting equipment and clothing valued at more than $17,500 from Sportspower Benalla in Bridge Street last Friday.

This is one of a string of break-ins over which Hepburn is charged.

The other alleged thefts are:

- Chainsaws, chainsaw bars and chains, oil, brushcutters, assorted electrical equipment and garden tools and clothing valued at $35,618 from Haeuslers in Shepparton on August 24.

- Chainsaws, safety gear, oil, a generator, an outboard motor and diesel valued at $36,755 from Strathbogie Council at Nagambie on September 21.

- Medication valued at $1000 from the Heathcote Pharmacy on September 25.

- Theft from the same pharmacy of boxes of tablets, jewellery, assorted brands of perfumes, creams and lotions, batteries and toiletry items, as well as a laptop computer valued at $21,796. An oxy torch used to open two safes caused $17,880 damage.

- Cold and flu and pain medication, an assortment of cosmetic items and cash valued at $1960 stolen in a raid on the Euroa Pharmacy on October 5.