Fury as burglars steal war medals

A devastated Black Country father has spoken of his anger after he returned home to find burglars had smashed their way in and snatched treasured First World War medals.

A devastated Black Country father has spoken of his anger after he returned home to find burglars had smashed their way in and snatched treasured First World War medals.

Raiders struck at the Halesowen home of Bob Hadley. They smashed the front door to get into the property before stealing a Gallipoli silver medal, general service medal and expeditionary force medal belonging to Mr Hadley's great-grandfather.

The family heirlooms were passed down to Mr Hadley when his father William passed away a decade ago and he said he felt responsible for their "safe keeping".

Father-of-two Mr Hadley, aged 44, said: "I thought they were safe but then I arrived home and the front door had been smashed, there was glass all over the place.

"I was shocked then angry. I asked my next door neighbour to come round while I went upstairs.

"I kept the medals in a drawer in my bedroom and they were the first thing I looked for, but when I opened the boxes they were gone."

Mr Hadley, who is unemployed, said he knew little about his great-grandfather's time on the frontline apart from the fact he had served in Gallipoli and was injured in the conflict.

"My father never talked about it much but I know he got shot on a Friday and was back in the trenches on the Sunday, that is the type of bloke he was," he said.

"I can't work out what mentality someone must have to steal war medals. It is degrading to the memory of the veterans and degrading to anybody who is serving in the army now," added Mr Hadley.

A pearl necklace, white gold and diamond earrings and a set of Rosary beads belonging to Mr Hadley's mother Gertrude, who also died around 10 years ago, were also snatched.

Dc Charlotte Parkes, from Halesowen, said: "The burglars are believed to have had a fair amount of knowledge of this type of memorabilia as they took both the medals and the ribbons to them which had been stored separately.

"We are interested in hearing from anyone who has been offered such items for sale, or who may know of their whereabouts."

Anyone with information about the burglary is urged to telephone officers at Halesowen police station on 0845 113 5000.