A7KJ5823 nw 01 A PENSIONER was left devastated after thievesransacked his garage and stole seven of his prized model ships.
Brian Morley, 72, spoke to the Gazette after the audaciousdaylight raid, which took place between 11.30am and 3.30pm onThursday.
"I feel totally gutted," Brian said.
"There is 16 years of model boat building that has disappearedfrom that garage." Brian, a retired lighting engineer, had beenvisiting a friend in Grays when thieves broke into the garage at hishome at Dounsell Court, on Ongar Road in Pilgrims Hatch.
Crooks cut two padlocks from the door before entering thebuilding and helping themselves to seven of the ten model shipsinside.
Vessel Among the models stolen was a replica of "Calypso", avessel made famous by the celebrated French oceanographer JacquesYves Cousteau.
"You spend hours building these things and then somebody justcomes along and takes them," Brian said.
"They are mostly of sentimental value to me but there is also alot of cash involved."
Brian, a father of four, a grandfather of five and a great-grandfather of five, estimates that the stolen ships are worth atotal of Pounds 1,500.
He also believes he was targeted deliberately. "None of the othergarages here have been interfered with," he said.
"I think they were keeping a watch to see when I went out."
However, Brian admitted he was puzzled to find that the thieveshad left the boxes belonging to the ships behind. "I don't think amodeller would have done that because you have to have boxes to keepthe models in and also for transporting them," he said.
Brian, who has lived at Dounsell Court since 1974, spokepassionately about his interest in model making.
"I have been a model maker since I was ten years old," he said.
"For many years I built model aircraft, but then I changed andwent onto making boats instead.
"I just love it. It is in my blood and I have been doing it forso long I can't even imagine me not building something."
Brian has put up a reward of Pounds 100 for any information whichleads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for stealinghis ships. "I have got to be realistic and accept that I might notget my models back," he said.
"However, if I could get them back I would be over the moon."
Brian added: "It would be Pounds 100 well spent to help catchthese people."
If you have any information which could help Essex Police withtheir enquiries call 0300 333 4444.
The stolen model ships include: Calypso: This vessel started lifeas a minesweeper in the Royal Navy.
In 1950, she was modified into an oceanographic vessel.TheCalypso was damaged in 1996 when a barge accidentally rammed intoher in Singapore.
Tirpitz: This mighty battleship, weighing 42,900 tonnes, was akey part of the German naval forces during World War Two.
Launched in April 1939, the Tirpitz was a sister ship of thelegendary Bismarck.
She was sank in 1944 after a series of attacks.
Yamato: Commissioned in December 1941, the Yamato served as theflagship of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto - the mastermind of theJapanese attack on Pearl Harbor - during World War Two.
The Yamato eventually met her end in April 1945.
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