Suffolk: War Medals Stolen During Veteran's Funeral

20 April 2013, 08:24 | Updated: 20 April 2013, 08:31

War medals have been stolen while a Suffolk veteran's family were at his funeral.

The five Second World War medals were stolen from the home in Ashby near Lowestoft as his family attended his wake.

The veteran's widow also had money stolen from her handbag, after it was left at the home, along with the medals, on April 18.

Suffolk Police are now hoping to find three teenage boys who were seen on bikes in the area at about 4.30pm.

One of them was smoking a cigarette, while one had a black Cannondale racing bike and another a grey mountain bike.

The five medals had been on display at the funeral and were later left at the property after his family returned there at about 2.30pm.

Family members returned to the property after the wake, about three hours later, to find the medals and cash had gone missing.

The medals taken were a 1939-45 Star, a France/Germany Star, a Defence medal, a War medal and a General Service medal from the Palestine conflict 1945-47.

Officers are asking the three boys, or anyone who knows who they are, to come forward and are asking anyone who may have noticed anything suspicious in the area to get in touch.

They want to trace the medals so they can be returned to the veteran's family and are urging anyone who may be offered them to contact police immediately.

Anyone who can help is asked to call DC Gary Small at Lowestoft CID on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously if required, on 0800 555 111.