Drugs squad discover widow's stolen ring in burglar's stomach

Lieonnie Thornhill thought she had lost the ring given to her by her husband forever following the burglary.

Both she and the police were in for a shock, however, after officers discovered that 37-year-old Christopher Waite had swallowed both the 18 carat gold ring with five diamonds and another one when he was X-rayed in the search for drugs.

They then had to wait several days before being able to return the jewellery to the 79-year-old from Hull.

Waite was sentenced to two-and-a-half years at Hull Crown Court after pleading guilty to three burglaries and being in possession of a class A substance on September 8.

The crook had crept into Mrs Thornhill's bungalow while she was outside cleaning her car windscreen.

She had met her husband in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, on a bus as she travelled to work in January 1950. They were married on August 19, the same year. Mr Thornhill died in 1990, aged 72.

Mrs Thornhill said: "He must have seen what he could grab when in there.

"I noticed my jewellery box on my table was open. He can't have been in my house long. Even my dog didn't make a noise."

The police arrived in minutes and caught Waite after giving chase.

"The police were very quick and efficient," Mrs Thornhill added. "The police made sure the rings were cleaned and sterilised for me and they looked brand new so it doesn't bother me were they have been.

"The robbery did have an impact on me, but you learn to move on. It has been easier to move on with how kind people have been."

Detective Sergeant Gavin Orsborne said: "In my 28 years of service this is among one of the more unusual methods applied in the recovery of stolen property.

"It took several days to get the property back and to be in a position to return them to the owner."

Officers took the rings to Hugh Rice jewellers in Beverley where they were cleaned for free.

As well as the rings that were returned, Waite, of West Yorkshire, took other items including two watches, brooches, and three other rings. One of the watches belonged to Lieonnie's son Peter, who committed suicide when he was 31.

This and three of the rings have not been found, despite an extensive police search. The other watch was found in a field off the M62 near where Waite was caught, using a metal detector.