‘I have one towel to my name’ couple in 70s have all their dirty laundry stolen
Lorna and Martin Jaye had their washing stolen during a trip to the launderette - Credit: Archant
A couple in their 70s have had almost all of their clothes stolen after leaving three huge bags of laundry outside their front door for a matter of minutes.
Martin Jaye, 78, had left the bags, which had the word laundry written on the side, on his front garden path to tell his wife Lorna, 73, to hurry up.
When the couple came outside they were stunned to discover someone had stolen all their dirty laundry, including clothes, bed sheets and towels.
Uniforms
Mrs Jaye, of Icknield Drive, Gants Hill, said: “Who wants dirty old washing? I’ve got one towel to my name.
“I have to go and buy new stuff – I need dresses, I have nothing to wear.”
The couple have lived at their home for more than 50 years and said they had never heard of anything similar ever happening before.
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“This is a good street and it’s a good neighbourhood,” Mrs Jaye said. “We all know each other.”
The couple were on their way to get their laundry done on Thursday at about 9am.
Mrs Jaye said: “Martin asked ‘are you ready’ and I went out and I asked where the washing was.
“I thought he was playing about, but no, it was gone. How can it just go?”
The couple are both officers in the Salvation Army and their uniforms were also in the bags to be washed.
“I’m rather proud of being in the Salvation Army and my uniform was in there,” Mrs Jaye said.
“Martin’s crying all the time as he’s not well. It’s really upsetting.”
Mrs Jaye said she always tries to buy nice things and is unsure how she is going to replace everything that was stolen.
“It’s very aggravating,” she added.
• If you have any information about the theft, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
