On This Day in Wembury — 19 December 1988
A Wembury couple were left badly shaken after burglars raided their home in Church Road, stealing more than £5000 worth of jewellery and household goods. Among the items taken were a Panasonic video recorder, handmade jewellery, a pair of 22ct gold quarter-inch earrings, an 18ct gold hunter bracelet valued at £1500, and a heavy 18ct gold sovereign chain. Police officer Helen Trethowan of Plympton CID appealed for witnesses, especially anyone who had seen a yellow saloon car in the area on Saturday afternoon. She also asked jewellers and members of the public to be alert for the distinctive items appearing for sale.
Source: Evening Herald, 19 December 1988
Incidents like this highlight how even quiet rural parishes were not immune to crime by the late 1980s. The list of stolen items — from the latest technology to traditional gold pieces — gives a snapshot of middle-class village life at the time, as well as the vulnerability people felt when such symbols of security and stability were suddenly taken.
Entries are summaries and interpretations of historical newspaper reports.