DRUNKEN thieves raided a cruise ship jewellery store and stuffed rings and necklaces worth £76,000 down their pants.

Gary Cooper and Benjamin Greenwood had been on the MSC Virtuosa for four hours, downing unlimited drinks while docked, when they hit the unmanned shop.

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Security traced them to on-board bars and called police to the vessel in Southampton last year, but no items were found.

The ship had to depart, leaving no time for cops to check CCTV and recover the gems.

Greenwood, 33, later handed in three rings and a necklace.

Cooper, 30, sold other items.

The pair, of Chichester, West Sussex, admitted theft.

They got suspended jail terms plus 270 hours’ unpaid work.

Their lawyer told Southampton crown court their drunkenness was a “recipe for disaster”.

He added that what they did was “foolish and stupid”.

Judge Nicholas Rowland said: “This was an impulsive theft in an unattended shop.”