Heartless thieves ransack vicarage
AVICAR and his wife were left ‘devastated’ after returning from taking care of an elderly relative to find their home had been ransacked by thieves.
The Rev Dr Ian Carter, vicar at All Saints Church in Hamer, and his wife Jayne had been away caring for Dr Carter’s mother - who has severe dementia - at her home in Essex.
But when they arrived back at the vicarage, on Foxholes Road, they found it had been burgled.
The raiders took all of the couple’s computers and video cameras as well as valuable jewellery.
They also took several items of great sentimental value to the pair.
Mrs Carter, a pastoral worker within the parish, said: “They cleared us out of all our laptops they took all the computer stuff, hard drives, everything.
“My husband’s lost 35 years of ministry that was all on there.”
Mrs Carter lost a crucifix given to her when she first started work as a hospital lay chaplain by Dr Carter, before the couple got married.
She added: “The cross I wear was given to me by Ian, who was the lead chaplain at Salford Royal. When I first started I needed something people on the ward could recognise me as part of the chaplaincy.
“It’s the medal cross of St Benedict, who had special connections to the sick and the dying, so that was really strange.
“But what’s even stranger is that 18 months later I married him.
“So not only was the cross very special, but he was too.”
An engagement ring passed down from her grandmother was also stolen.
“The jewellery that was most precious to me was my mum’s engagement ring, that was originally my grandmother’s,” Mrs Carter added.
“She died when my dad was four and his aunt kept the ring especially for him as he grew up and gave it to him when he got engaged to my mum and that’s gone - three generations of history.”
Two engraved jewels commemorating Jayne’s chairmanship of the Ladies Circle and Tangent were also snatched.
It’s believed the burglars struck on the night of Saturday, November 5, or early Sunday as neighbours say the vicarage’s curtains were seen open on Saturday daytime, but were closed on the Sunday.
Anyone with information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously on 0800 555 111.