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Wednesday, December 03, 2008, 08:25
Christopher Armstrong was out visiting a friend when thieves smashed their way into his Newton Road house in Torquay and rifled through his precious possessions.
The 70-year-old retired gas company owner and former engine room artificer, who served on the aircraft carrier HMS Victorious and saw action in Borneo, said the intruders must have known he would be out when they targeted his home.
Mr Armstrong, a widower, said seven of his father's Second World War medals and two of his own, along with his wife's wedding ring and an engraved Omega watch from the 60s, were stolen from his home.
Other stolen items include Mr Armstrong's passport, a building society cheque book and even his council tax payment form.
He said: "I am absolutely gutted. They must have known I would be out.
"They knew they could make as much noise as they wanted because they smashed four locks.
"The amount of force required for that means they would have needed tools to do the job.
"They went through the house very carefully and looked for anything small they could take. It looks like identity theft to me.
"I think they knew exactly what they were doing."
Mr Armstrong said he could not place a cash value on the loss but insisted the sentimental loss was impossible to measure.
He added: "I'm most annoyed with them stealing my wife's wedding ring.
"I don't know how much the medals were worth, but they belonged to my father from his time in the 13/18 Royal Hussars 9th Tanks during the Second World War.
"It was something very personal and very special to me."
Mr Armstrong, who after leaving the Navy ran his own gas company providing gas equipment to schools in Devon, said the medals he received were engraved with the words ERA C. R. Armstrong.
The 1960s Omega watch was also engraved with his name and initials while his father's medals included African designs to commemorate the North African campaign in 1942.
DS Andy James, from Torquay's burglary team, who is investigating the November 20 incident, said an Olympus digital camera and a Seiko watch were also among the stolen items.
He said: "We are appealing for anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in Newton Road between 9am and 5pm on the day to come forward."
He asked anyone being offered Second World War medals should contact police on 01803 841589 or 08452 777 444 quoting reference number FT/08/9753.
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