A bride-to-be has taken to social media in an attempt to recover her engagement ring stolen in a burglary at her home in Co Westmeath last Tuesday evening.
Maireád Duignan and her fiancé Conor Boyle are getting married in March, but her excitement about the big day has been tarnished by the theft of her very distinctive ring.
“We spent months looking for the right ring. We eventually found it and that was that, but now I no longer have it.”
The couple, from Killucan, near Mullingar, had just moved back into their recently renovated home before Christmas. The theft has shaken Duignan who said nothing like this had happened in the area before.
“Just days ago we were on cloud nine - and now it’s all been taken away from us in the space of a few minutes.”
Following the burglary on Tuesday night Duignan launched an appeal on Facebook and spoke on local radio station Midlands 103 in a bid to recover her ring.
“I just want to get it back. People have been very kind with offers of a replacement, but it wouldn’t be the same. I’d do anything to get my ring back. The other stuff is replaceable but my ring is not.”
The thieves also took some clothing, a designer handbag, cash and a television.
“They knew what they were looking for. They ignored some other jewellery. I don’t know, maybe they ran out of time.”
The break-in to their home was one of a number in the area that night. A silver VW Golf was seen speeding away from their house by a witness and there were other reports of sightings on social media.
Duignan’s ring is very unusual, incorporating rose gold with little heart details on the side and band of small diamonds running underneath the main diamond.
“I would appeal to anyone who can help to please let us know. This is very distressing.”