Widower heartbroken over stolen jewellery

Theft: Burglar stashed the jewellery in a bin but was arrested for shoplifting before being able to retrieve it

A widower has spoken of his heartache after a burglar stole £22,500 worth of his late wife’s jewellery.

It is unlikely to be recovered after the thief lost the bin bag full of items in Dundee.

Peter Clark, 67, from Tayport, was at work when Gary Murdoch, 40, broke into his cottage.

He made off with the jewellery collected by the couple during 41 years of marriage to his late wife, Liz.

The cache of items, including a £3,000 Rolex watch, a ruby and diamond brooch worth £2,300 and a gold bracelet valued at £3,250 during the raid in April last year.

The 40-year-old travelled to Dundee, where he put the haul in a bag and dumped it in a bin, intending to collect it later.

But he was arrested in the Boots store in the city centre as he tried to shoplift toiletries.

The bag of jewellery has never been found.

Mr Clark told The Courier he was alerted to the break-in by his neighbour as he pulled up outside his house.

The former senior lecturer at St Andrews University was surprised to see several valuable assets still intact, before checking his bedroom and realising his wife’s jewellery had been taken.

Mr Clark said: “I was on my way home from work and was reversing into my drive when my neighbour came across to tell me what had happened.

“I ran around and couldn’t see anything that had been taken.

“It was then that I thought to check my bedroom and it became clear that he had taken all sorts of jewellery.

“My wife and I had collected this jewellery over 41 years of marriage, so it is very unfortunate and awful.

“I was shocked and disturbed because of the connection with Liz.

“I had planned to hand the jewellery down to my daughters, but that can’t happen now.

“I don’t expect that I will get Liz’s jewellery back.”

Murdoch was sentenced to two years in prison during a hearing at Dundee Sheriff Court.

Mr Clark, who wasn’t present at the hearing, said: “I was quite surprised by the sentence, it was quite significant.

“Sympathy is too strong a word, but here we have a young man who has been incarcerated for two years and I have lost my wife’s jewellery. “There are no winners. “There is nothing I can do. No amount of worrying will bring them back.”

The court was told that Murdoch had no idea of the true value of the goods.

David Bell, defending, said: “I don’t think he had any appreciation of the value of the items – monetary or the sentimental value.”

Sentencing him, Sheriff George Way said: “If you’d known it’s value I don’t suppose you’d have been daft enough to leave it.

“Nevertheless, a widower has lost items which he kept obviously for sentimental value.

“He kept it because it is part of his life, and part of his wife.”

Sympathy is too strong a word, but here we have a young man who has been incarcerated for two years and I have lost my wife’s jewellery. There are no winners. PETER CLARK

Mr Clark has planned to pass the jewellery to his daughter.