A BUSINESSMAN is offering a £10,000 reward after losing more than £230,000 in cash and property in a break-in at his home.

The victim, who asked not to be identified, returned from his holiday to find that his home off Sheffield Road in Birdwell had been ransacked.

He said several sentimental items were taken, in addition to £150,000 in cash.

The victim told the Chronicle: “My friend was going on holiday and had asked me and my partner to join them and we decided to go.

“We returned home to find that my front door had been prised open.”

The victim went inside to find the house had been turned upside down, and several items were missing.

“I feel like the last ten years of my life have been wiped out. Someone has come into my home and taken things that mean so much to me and I just can’t understand it.

“The variation of things they have taken is baffling. I’ve had items such as a back massager and a cracked suitcase taken and then I’ve had very expensive items such as a Tag Heuer watch and one key to my racing car and one to my partner’s car stolen.

“We have had to move the vehicles through fear that the people responsible will come back to take them.”

The theft happened just before Christmas but the frustrated victim has only now got in touch with the Chronicle in the hope that offering a reward for information will help catch the perpetrator.

He believes some of the stolen items may have been given as Christmas presents. “I want these returned and I am offering a £10,000 reward for this,” he said.

Among the items taken were the victim’s Royal Marines green beret, pin badge and watch which were gifted to him upon his completion of service.

“These items are something that would not be easy to come by and they were given to me. How someone can take them is just heartless.

“Some of the items taken, such as the battery for a Makita grinder, I have written the number one on the release button and on the bottom there is a white luminescent paint in the holes where the screws fix the casing together so if put under a UV light, it would show up.

“My MacBook Pro laptop doesn’t work, but it has two indentations on it that I would be able to recognise.

“My wedding ring was also taken, which is a silver coloured precious metal with five diamonds in it that was in a Vivienne Westwood box.”

The victim, who runs a business, is concerned that the loss of his items could lead to him having to file for bankruptcy as he is unable to replace stock he has lost.

“Growing up you could leave your front door open and go out for the day and not even dream that someone would enter your house. It’s really sad to see how society has changed.

“I had a safe in my house which contained a substantial amount of money and that has been taken and with that there has been significant damage to the property as the safe was in the wall.

“Not only am I having to deal with things that are missing but I am also going to have to cover the costs of repairing what has been damaged.

“All in all I have had £236,000 worth of items and money stolen from me.

“I am appealing to the public to get in touch if they recognise any of the items.

“I am willing to reward anyone who can give me information that will lead to those responsible being apprehended.”

A police spokesman said: “Officers were called to an address in Birdwell on December 18 following reports of a burglary. It is reported that a safe containing a significant amount of money, military memorabilia, watches and electrical equipment was taken.

“It is believed that thieves targeted the property between December 7 and December 18 when the occupant was on holiday.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact 101 quoting crime reference number 14/189946/19.