Callous thieves steal savings from terminally ill Ramsgate man

Terry Price Photo Zoe Norman

Callous thieves have stolen the savings of a Ramsgate pensioner who is terminally ill.

Terry Price says he had stashed some £3,000 in his home which he had planned to use to pay for his funeral and wake but this was taken when his home was burgled at the weekend.

Terry, who was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2019, says he believes he knows the identities of the culprits and it was clear the break-in was by someone who knew exactly where he had put the money.

The former market trader, who also suffers with arthritis, had been taken shopping on the day of the break-in but was away from his Leopold Road home for no longer than 45 minutes,

The 66-year-old said: “I am disabled so I was getting a bit of help to do my shopping. I was only gone half or three-quarters of an hour.

“They had come in through the back (of the property) and knew exactly where my money was. They went through my tins and took £3,010, the £10 was a note torn in half. The box from under the hospital bed I have in my front room was emptied, another tin with 20p pieces was taken and all my £2 and 50 pences were taken.

“They knew exactly what they wanted and it was the only room they went in, they didn’t take my TV or pad.”

Terry has recently come home from hospital after an op to remove a cancerous mass in his hip bone.

He said: “The money was for my funeral and my wake at Fury’s bar and a few Christmas presents. I’m gutted. I had saved it from my pension since I got my diagnosis.”

Terry says purchases have also been made on his bank card which he has now had to cancel.

He has told police who he believes the culprits are and officers have been looking at CCTV.

But the former Deptford resident, who moved to Ramsgate more than 20 years ago, fears police may not have enough evidence to bring charges although he says he is determined to get justice.

He added: “I am near the end of my life. They took everything I had and these people were supposed to be my friends.”

Neighbour Zoe Norman has set up a fundraiser page in the hope of helping Terry recoup some of his losses. On it she says: “He has been saving for this since his terminal diagnosis almost 4 years ago. He is only on benefits and has been small savings each week. Someone that he knew who was supposed to have dear to him robbed him of his savings.

“Police are aware and they will do what they can, unfortunately even after they have been found guilty and ordered to pay monthly, this will not come quick enough for Tel’s funeral.

“He’s a great, well-loved man in our small community, unfortunately between our small numbers we aren’t enough to bring his pot back up. He helped so many people in his time, wherever he could and at sometimes left himself short.”

Find the fundraiser here

A Kent Police spokesperson confirmed officers are investigating the incident.

They said: “Kent Police is investigating a burglary which took place in Leopold Road, Ramsgate between 2.30pm and 3.10pm on Saturday 12 November.

“It is reported the property was broken into and a large amount of cash was stolen.

“Enquiries into the incident are ongoing and anyone with information should call Kent Police on 01843 222289, quoting reference 46/218728/22.

You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or complete the online form on their website.”

34 Comments

    • Could it possibly be the case that he happened to make mention of his ”stash” to his ”mates” down the pub ?

      And is that the reason why he knows who said ”scum” may be ?

      • One pays notes into the bank by using the cash point outside the bank, or at a post office.
        If you have a bank account, you get your pension paid directly into it. No need to pay cash in.
        I do understand that some people don’t want to use banks. But please, if you’re going to keep £1000s in cash in your home, don’t put it in a box under the bed!

        • What an insensitive person you are! It doesn’t and shouldn’t matter whether he had his money in cash in a box under his bed! What matters is that this man in seriously unwell and a crime has been committed!

      • There is a reason why, opps many reasons why but it should not be used as a weapon for those that accumulate cash/goods or savings for their own reasons.

        So sorry to hear this gentleman has been robbed by local scum. So let down with the people that we pay to stop crime.

        This crime is easily solved but it should have never happened in the first instance.

        • How is this the cops fault? If people choose to leave thousands of pounds lying around in their properties-despite the decades of being warned not to & let lowlives into their home & let them know where their life savings are kept then that is their choice.

          The police will now be looking at CCTV, hauling people in, likely searching properties etc-just because this gentleman doesn’t hold great hope doesn’t mean the police will not be able to recover some if not most, or even all of the money & charge the culprits-after all he appears to have given them vital information about the most likely suspects.

          The police cannot stop crime-they can advise people on ways to prevent it & they trading standards, local councils, the media etc do, if people choose to ignore it & not have good home security, keep thousands of pounds in their homes, fall for phone scams etc, then all they can do is try to solve the crimes.

    • Most of the elderly people do this to some extent you’ll find Eric.

      Most dont trust banks or with banks closing their branches then they cant do online.

      Obviously someone he knows has seen a easy way to get money and I hope they get caught quickly, especially when they can trace the cards.

      Will he get the money back then?

      Nope as theyd of spent it and made to repay in small amounts.

      Low life scum around who prey on the elderly people unfortunately.

  1. my best wishes to this gentleman , but what a sad dump of a place we live in here in thanet , i dont expect any arrests soon

    • There can only be arrests if there is sufficient evidence. The piece says that the police are actively investigating this crime.

  2. He also has a bank card, and therefore a bank account. His card (quite rightly) has been cancelled, but will be replaced (if he wants) within a few days.

  3. Doesn’t matter if you keep cash at home it should be safe.
    Everyone’s home should be a safe place.
    Sorry to say but to many scum around these days not getting punished.

    • Of course it should be safe to keep money and possessions but,the fact is,it isn’t.There is too much scum around,wanting everything for nothing.
      You don’t keep that sum of money in your house.What about fire,as well as thieving vermin.

    • People should be able to go to cash points at 3 AM & get money out, women should be able to walk alone late at night without the risk of being sexually assaulted, we should be able to leave our front doors unlocked/open without being robbed.

      But of course this isn’t some ideal Utopia, but real life & it is everywhere not just Thanet, has been since time began & will be until this planet is gone.

      • Just as a matter of fact: women are more likely to be attacked at home, by someone known to them; street attack victims tend to be young men.

        • That is why I said sexual assaults-which are far more likely to happen to women than men. Men are more likely to be physically attacked.

  4. It’s sometimes a generational thing that some older people prefer to keep their money in “ The Bank of Ken Dodd” . Lol
    But on a serious note I do hope the people that did this disgusting theft and who are known to the gentleman get their just deserts .
    At the end of the day suspecting them is one thing ,proving anything is a bit harder

    • Not when you raid their homes & find it stashed away, have CCTV footage of them & get them in the station where nearly always one or more of them start squealing & minimising their involvement by maximising the others involvement.

  5. So who do you trust these days .We have an article earlier regarding a couple loosing 50k . Money was in the bank . Banks are closing down all the time. Technology is great but there are smart people out there who know how to by pass these securities. So who do you trust a lot of people don’t trust banks.Me I don’t trust anyone when it comes to money.

  6. Poor fellow. I don’t care how daft he may have been, in his situation I’m sure I’d make a load of wonky decisions, he has a lot on his plate and doesn’t deserve a single negative comment. Great that he has some good friends and neighbours, sounds like they’ll help him get through this.

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