COVENTRY MESSAGE BOARD

Heartless thieves have stolen a veteran soldier’s treasured medal collection, including an MBE presented personally by the Queen.

Om Gurung, a former Regimental Sergeant Major with the Gurkha Signals, owns the Crossed Khukris restaurant in Nuneaton, where the medals were displayed and stored.

"They had been put away in a locker, which was forced open by the burglars," he said.

"It’s quite upsetting, because the medals have such sentimental value and cannot be replaced."

Along with the MBE, which Mr Gurung received in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace in 1997, other military medals were taken, plus some awarded to other members of his family and one given from King George VI to his grandfather.

"There were about 50 medals in all, dating back to the First World War," added the 55-year-old businessman.

"I occasionally had them on show in frames on the wall of my restaurant and it is possible that someone broke in specifically to get them.

"Whoever is responsible forced their way through a rear door and made a thorough search.

"As well as the medals, they also emptied four charity boxes, containing about £250, the till, which had £50 in it, and even took money from a staff tip box."

Mr Gurung, who settled in Nuneaton after serving at Bramcote Barracks and retiring from the army, has become a pillar of the community.

He founded the British Gurkha Veterans Association, was president of Nuneaton Rotary Club and has been a constant supporter of ex-service, civic and local charities.

The theft took place some time between 11.30pm last Sunday night, when the restaurant closed, and noon the following day, when the break-in was discovered.

On Tuesday, Mr Gurung helped to organise a special ceremony at the Co-op Club in Nuneaton when medals were handed to 126 former Gurkha soldiers who had served in Malaysia.

The guest of honour was the Malaysian High Commissioner, and the occasion was also attended by Nuneaton and Bedworth deputy mayor Bob Copland.

The councillor said: "I was very shocked to hear about Om’s burglary, which he purposely kept to himself on Tuesday so that it wouldn’t overshadow the presentation proceedings.

"That is typical of the man, who is such a lovely person and a real star.

"I cannot find the words to describe what I feel about the sort of people who would steal a soldier’s medals and money donated for charity."

A spokesman for Warwickshire Police said: "We would ask anyone who saw anything, has any information or anyone who has been offered any medals to contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."

Leading members of the community speak out about 'atrocious' MBE theft

LEADING faces have aired their disgust at the heartless thieves who stole a war hero’s cherished MBE.

Prominent businessman and long-time charity champion Om Gurung has been left heartbroken after his Crossed Khukris Gurkha restaurant in Nuneaton was targeted by thieves.

Key figures from across the borough have spoken out about the ‘appalling’ crime which left Mr Gurung robbed of his MBE and around 50 other treasured medals which belonged to him, his father, great grandfather and uncles.

Nuneaton MP Marcus Jones said: “Om is a stalwart member of our community and he has done an awful amount of work for the community since he settled in Nuneaton.

“It is absolutely disgraceful that someone has had the nerve to take medals that Om has been given with such distinction and to take an MBE, an award which Om thoroughly deserved is disgraceful.

“I would appeal for anyone who may have information about this to come forward and help reunite Om with his medals.”

Nuneaton and Bedworth Mayor, councillor John Haynes, added: “It is absolutely disgusting, he is a smashing bloke and has fitted in so well in the Nuneaton community, and he is one of the best.

“Anyone who has any information should come forward because we need to catch this despicable person.”

Dan Byles, Bedworth and North Warwickshire MP, has also spoken out about the Gurkha veteran’s devastating ordeal.

“I was shocked and saddened to hear that thieves have stolen Om Gurung’s precious medals and his OBE,” he said.

“Om is a well known and much loved member of our community, and I strongly urge anyone who knows anything about this crime to come forward.

“If whoever took these medals is reading this, do please demonstrate some humanity and return them, anonymously if necessary.

“If you don’t know how, you can always pop them through the letterbox of my office one evening or put them in the post, and I can ensure that they are safely returned to Om.”

Councillor Alan Farnell, the Nuneaton-based leader at Warwickshire County Council, added: “I am absolutely speechless, it is just atrocious particularly in terms of what he has not only done for the town, but also the country.”

Mr Gurung, a former Regimental Sergeant Major at 30 Signal Regiment in Bramcote, has been a long-term supporter of the Royal British Legion, a charity that provides support to members of the Armed Forces, and veterans.

Don Jacques, chairman of the Nuneaton and Stockingford Branch of the Royal British Legion, said: “I am gobsmacked, why should anyone want to do this? It is absolutely disgusting and I hope that if the people who have taken them have any conscience, they will return them.

“Om is someone who has done so much for our country. He, his father and grandfather fought for this country and they are not even British.

“I hope that the people who have done this are caught and perhaps they should be punished by the Gurkhas.”

He has also received support from his fellow Rotarians who have put up a £200 reward for the safe return of the medals.

Gary Dancer, vice president of the Rotary Club of Nuneaton, said: “It’s absolutely appalling.

“For someone to do that to a man who does so much for the town is absolutely disgraceful. Those medals are worth so much to Om and his family.”

Warwickshire Police officers want anyone who saw anything, has any information or anyone who has been offered any medals to contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Hero Gurkha's medals returned



AN army veteran’s cherished collection of medals has been returned by a stranger – a week after being stolen.

Former Gurkha sergeant major Om Gurung was devastated by the theft of the medals which include an MBE and one dating back to the First World War. Now the 55-year-old businessman has them back after his story appeared in the Telegraph.

Mr Gurung, who runs a restaurant in Nuneaton, was stunned when he received a phone call late last week telling him: “I’ve got your medals and will bring them back.”

He said: “I was worried at first that it was a hoax. This man called me twice to say he had the medals but quickly put the phone down both times before I could ask him anything.

“Then, on Saturday night, a man, accompanied by a woman and a young girl, walked into my restaurant and asked for me. He then handed me a carrier bag and said the medals were inside.

“He explained that he had seen them being offered for sale in Birmingham by two men, aged in their mid-20s.

"He thought the medals might have been mine because he had read reports in the newspapers about the robbery. The pair were asking £200. He said he offered them £100 and eventually they accepted.”

Mr Gurung, 55, runs the Crossed Khukris restaurant in the town centre, where the medals were displayed and stored.

Thieves forced their way through a rear door and made a thorough search before finding the medals in a locker and also taking money from the till, a staff tips-box and four charity boxes.

“I thought the man’s story sounded a little strange, but he insisted he was genuine, although he said he did not want to reveal his identity,” said Mr Gurung.

“He was smartly dressed and softly spoken. I assumed that the woman with him was his wife and she said that the girl, who looked about nine or ten, was her daughter, who had been born in the George Eliot Hospital in Nuneaton and that they now lived in Tamworth.

“I offered them a seat and a cup of tea. The restaurant was very busy and lots of people, including my staff, were looking on.

"It was an awkward situation because I did not want to open the bag up in front of everyone.

"The man refused to accept the £100 he said he had paid for the medals and told me to instead put the money into the charity boxes. He agreed to let me give them a small snack.

“When they left, after about an hour, I looked inside the plastic bag and saw that all the medals were there, still mounted with their ribbons. Obviously, I am very pleased to have them back, because they hold such sentimental value.”

Among the collection is an MBE, presented to Mr Gurung by the Queen at Buckingham Palace, plus a silver medal for his long service with the Ghurka Signals and other military medals awarded to him and members of his family, including one given by King George VI to his great grandfather.

When the theft was reported in the Telegraph last week, it caused outrage in the local community, where Mr Gurung has settled since retiring from the army.

He said: “I have been quite overwhelmed by the sympathetic reaction of so many people about the medals. In the end, it has had a happy outcome.”