25 March 2014
Three men have been remanded in custody charged with stealing war medals from a 100 year-old former Desert Rat.
The trio were in court today via video link accused of a series of burglaries across Sittingbourne.
Benjamin Samuels, 32, and Alan Looker, 33, both of Milbourne Grove, Sittingbourne have been charged with four counts of burglary.
Medals similar to these ones were stolen from centenarian Leslie Stelfox
Meanwhile 37-year-old Sydney Samuels, of the same road, has been charged with five counts of burglary.
Police recovered war medals following the execution of a search warrant.
It follows a burglary at the home of Leslie Stelfox, of Cherry Close, Milton Regis.
Some medals have been recovered and inquiries are going on to confirm whether they are related to the incident, which happened sometime between 6.40pm and 8.40pm on Tuesday.
The 100-year-old, who only ventures out of his house twice a month, had just returned from a Royal British Legion meeting when he discovered the theft.
Widower Mr Stelfox, who served with the Cheshire Regiment, said: "I opened the front door and saw the cabinet door was open and I wondered 'how did that happen?' They took six of my medals and five that were my dad's.
"They stole a watch off the dining room table, about £300 or £400 which was in a box, a 1917 Russian silver half ruble coin, some 50p pieces that I collected over the last 50 years, some tuppenny pieces and about £15 worth of loose change off the sideboard."
Leslie Stelfox
The medals taken were: General Service for Palestine 1938; the 1945 Star; General Service 1936-1938; Italian Star 1939-1945; North Africa Star 1939-1945 and General Service 1939-1945.
Those belonging to his late father Arthur Stelfox were: three 1914 campaign medals, one for long service and a special one relating to HMS Swift which would have been awarded for either saving the ship or someone's life.
Mr Stelfox's grandson Mark, of Brier Road, Borden, put up a £200 reward to find the 'scumbags' who swiped them. He said: "They are scumbags. They're beyond scum.
"I just think if you see someone's photos in their home with the medals, to totally disregard them to steal someone's property is terrible. He is a 100-year-old man who has fought for his country."
They were all remanded in custody to appear at Maidstone Crown Court on April 11.
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/sittingbourne/news/war-medal-theft---arrests-14624/
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