Medals theft heartbreak

Feb 7 2008 By Poppy Brady

HEARTLESS thieves who ransacked a Birmingham family's home have snatched their late grandfather's treasured war medals.

Passports, credit cards and car keys were taken in the haul from a house in Yardley, but three of the irreplaceable items are World War II medals which include the Italy Star and a Battle of Britain medal.

They were snatched on the fifth anniversary of former Royal Marine Ron Lloyd's death who had left his medals to his 26-year-old grandson Lee.

Ron's son David, an assembly worker at Land Rover, said: "The burglary has upset us terribly because they made a mess of the house and took our safe which was bolted to a wall inside a wardrobe.

"I've had to have the locks changed on my car because they took the spare keys, but what has upset us most of all is the medals and old photos of my dad which were in a wallet in the safe. These are of no use to anyone, but irreplaceable for us.

"We understand that alot of these old war medals end up on Ebay where they don't fetch very much, or they are taken to pawn shops.

"The Italy Star medal had a ribbon in the colours of the Italian flag and the third medal was what is known as an Oak Leaf medal.

David's dad Ron, who died at the age of 78, was shot in the arm and shoulder while serving in Yugoslavia and was forced to walk 150 miles before he could get medical help.

"They don't make people like my dad's generation any more. My son Lee is absolutely gutted because he thought the world of his grandad and treasured the medals that were left to him," said David.

* Anyone who has any information can contact David on 07763 487 350.