West Midlands Police try to reunite MBE with rightful owner

The MBE award was handed into West Midlands Police by an offender who is participating in the Crime Free Programme as part of their strict conditions. 

After inspecting the award, officers said they discovered that it was awarded by King George V, so they believe it is something that might have been passed down through a family generation. 

Officers have tried to locate where and when the MBE award was stolen but they have been unable to establish those details. 

They are now turning to the community to try and help them reunite the prestigious award back to its rightful owner with West Mercia Police also appealing to residents in Worcestershire to help. 

The award was handed into West Midlands Police (Image: West Midlands Police)

PC Paul Welch, from our Crime Free Team, said: "This MBE is potentially over 80 years old and so we believe that it may have been passed down by whoever actually received the award.

"We have tried to reach out to potential owners and also spoke with St James’s Palace, but we have so far been unable to identify the owner.

"It is a prestigious award and so we would like to reunite it with the respective owner." 

The Crime Free Team targets individuals who are engaged in prolific, non-violent burglary offending.

The participants are given a deferred sentence and enter an intensive community sentence plan tailored to their individual needs.

Police are trying to reunite the medal with its rightful owner (Image: West Midlands Police)

As part of the programme, the individual is given the opportunity to admit to previous offending, and they must give back the property that was stolen. 

By doing this, officers were able to have the MBE handed back.

Anyone with information or if you think you can help, contact police via Live Chat on the West Midlands Police website or by calling 101 quoting crime reference number 20/514878/23.