Thieves take Order of Australia medal on Christmas Day

WHILE Reverend Trevor Foote was celebrating Christmas Day lunch with family at Chuwar, thieves were stealing his Order of Australia medal.

THEFT: Trevor Foote had his Order of Australia medal stolen from his house on Christmas Day. Picture: Sarah Harvey

WHILE Reverend Trevor Foote was celebrating Christmas Day lunch with family at Chuwar, thieves were stealing his Order of Australia medal.

Rev Foote, the driving force behind the Ipswich Habitat for Humanity charity, did not realise until Boxing Day that his Eastern Heights home had been robbed, with money, jewellery and his precious medal taken.

The now retired reverend said the house had not been ransacked so he and his wife did not realise they had been robbed until Boxing Day morning when they saw a wallet had been left near their Christmas tree.

"The drawers in the spare bedrooms had been pulled out, but we didn't see that until the next day," he said.

"It wasn't until the next morning we saw a wallet that wasn't ours on the floor. It had a card for Raceview News and two 50-cent pieces in it.

"We then looked around the house and saw the jewellery and the medal had been taken."

Rev Foote said he believed the virtually empty wallet had been stolen from a previous victim.

He was awarded the medal in October by Governor-General Quentin Bryce for his work with the Uniting Church and services to the Ipswich community, including his volunteering with Habitat for Humanity.

Thieves had tried to jimmy their way into a back door, leaving a huge crackalong the door frame, before finding another entrance into the house.

Rev Foote said neighbours saw two male teens, wearing hoodies, leaving his street with what looked like things hidden under their shirts.

"A lot of the people in the houses here were out with family, like everyone does on Christmas Day," he said.

"But some of the neighbours said at about 12.30 they saw two young-looking lads with hooded jumpers in the middle of summer, with things under their shirts."

The medal had been proudly on display on top of the Foote's TV cabinet - a decision he now regrets.

"You just kick yourself for not locking it away," he said.

The theft has been reported to the police, who are investigating.

If you have any information that could help the investigation, phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Information can be given anonymously.

Originally published as Thieves take Order of Australia medal on Christmas Day