A HEARTLESS thief has stolen a radio from Elizabeth House retirement home with residents desperate to be reunited with the sound system.

The offence, at the sheltered accomodation in Queens Drive, Walcot, took place overnight on Wednesday, September 24 with the incident being reported to Wiltshire Police.

The Sony radio, which cost £150, plays CDs and has a serial number of 6106980.

The device was a firm favourite with the centre’s 52 residents and was a focal point of their lounge.

Tony Dunmore, 82, who lives at Elizabeth House and is secretary of the accommodation’s social club, said: “We’d discovered it had gone on Thursday morning which was disappointing. There was no sign of a break in and it seems that someone has got in with minimum ease.

“This is very disturbing when you think we aren’t youngsters and there are people in their 90s who live here – anything could have happened.

“I just don’t see why someone would want to do something like this. The sound system was used by quite a few people for parties and we are sad that it has been taken from us. We’d had it for about 10 years, so it isn’t a big expensive item that we have lost.

“For us, It is the prinicple of someone coming and taking it away.”

Elizabeth House’s residents have been donated a replacement radio but they’re still keen to get their own one back.

Tony said: “It is great that one of the residents has been able to donate a radio but we still want to get the other one back. I’d ask anyone who has been offered a Sony system, or recently bought one, to check the serial number and get in touch with the police if it matches our one.

“We hope that we can get it back and we’d ask for anyone with details to come forward.”

  • Anyone with information is asked to contact the police by calling 101 or alternatively details can be left anonymously with Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.