Thieves steal cherished mementos

August 30, 2012, 7:16 am

Officers have made a plea for the return of cherished family mementos after medals of two generations of soldiers were stolen from a Wigan house.

Thieves also stole a stamp collection containing a rare Victorian Penny Black during the same raid on the house on Swinley Road, Swinley.

The burglary happened between the evening of Friday 17 August and Monday morning 20 August 2012.

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Seven war medals awarded to the late husband of Nora Ince, 78, and his father, were stolen.

Both men served in the Royal Artillery and stationed in Malta. Her husband was called James Ince and served from 1952 to 1954 and his father was called Robert Ince and served from 1914 to 1918. She can remember that some of the medals were on multi-coloured ribbons and she thinks these where her husbands fathers medals.

The mens names are on the medals but unfortunately there are no photographs of them.

Also stolen was a dark green stamp collection book which contains a rare Penny Black stamp. They usually have cerated edges but this one had straight edges and had a postal stamp on it. This was valued approximately 10 years ago at £50.

PC Vanessa Edwards, based at Wigan, said: “Noras late husband and his father served their country with distinction and it is disrespectful in the extreme for someone to steal their hard-earned medals.

“The burglars would have known that, even if they are not worth a huge amount financially, they will be of great sentimental value.

“This crime will disgust all right-thinking members of the community and I want to reassure the victim and residents that we are determined to reunite her with her precious mementos.

“As a result we have issued a limited description of the medals and the stamp collection. Unfortunately there are no photographs of the stolen items, but I am now appealing to anyone offered medals or stamps in suspicious circumstances to call us.

“In particular I want to appeal to antique dealers to take note of the descriptions and keep an eye out for anyone offering medals or stamps that do not seem entirely legitimate.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police on Wigan on 0161 856 7124 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.