Your kindness is overwhelming, grave theft widow tells readers
A WIDOW whose handbag was stolen as she laid flowers on her husband’s grave has been “overwhelmed” by messages of goodwill since her plight was highlighted by the Daily Express.
As police hunt the yobs who broke into her friend’s car as she paid her respects, Rosemary Crouch told how she had been deeply touched by our readers’ response to the theft.
“It has been amazing. I never thought there would be such generosity of spirit around,” she said. “Kindness like that is a rare thing, you know.”
We are offering a £500 reward for information leading to the return of Mrs Crouch’s black studded handbag and items of enormous sentimental value.
From her home in Selsey, West Sussex, the 67-year-old yesterday appealed directly to the thieves to return a credit card holder that had belonged to her late husband Ronald which had been in the bag.
He died of cancer earlier this year at the age of 67.
Mrs Crouch, who is now battling a brain tumour herself, said: “I completely understand if they want to take the money that was in the bag, about £100, but the other stuff would mean nothing to them but everything to me. If I was to get my husband’s credit card holder back it would make Christmas so much better for me.” Mrs Crouch, who is a former police officer, returned to her husband’s grave yesterday where the theft took place last week. She said church authorities were now considering tightening up security at St Wilfrid’s Chapel in Church Norton, West Sussex, following similar cases in the past.
“They are going to try to sort things out so this doesn’t happen to anyone else,” she explained.
Mrs Crouch married Ronald, her second husband, five years ago after returning to Selsey after many years away and was devastated by his death.
The theft from the car of her friend Kathleen Hill had been “the final straw” in a “terrible year”, she said.
Despite the blow, Mrs Crouch is hopeful that the credit card holder will be returned.
“I just hope someone sees this and finds it in their heart to leave it somewhere where it can be returned to me,” she said.
A police spokesman said they were aware of the theft, the case remained open but no arrests have yet been made.