Veteran says medal collection stolen in raid

A lifetime collection of military medals and memorabilia has been stolen from a man in Staffordshire.

Ex-serviceman Geoff Harriman, from Newcastle-under-Lyme, was the owner of them and also chairman of the Tri-Services Veterans Association in the town.

He said his house was broken into and ransacked on Saturday while he was away at a fundraising event.

“To say I am devastated is an understatement and I am still trying to get my head around it,” he said.

The stolen items included World War One medals as well as military cap badges, shoulder titles, Roman brooches, Saxon and Viking coins and other items he had been collecting since he was a child, Mr Harriman said.

“The police have been out, forensics have been out, they’ve taken what evidence they can take," he added.

“They actually went through each room and ransacked each of the drawers, taking things.

“There must have been more than one of them because of the amount of stuff and the size of the stuff."

While the items have a significant monetary value, Mr Harriman said he felt they have a greater sentimental value.

Details of the missing items were shared with military trading groups, who would keep an eye out in case somebody tried to sell them, he said.

Staffordshire Police was contacted for a comment.

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