A £20,000 reward has been offered for the return of medals and England caps stolen from the Radlett home of soccer star Dennis Wise, who issued an appeal exclusively through the Borehamwood & Elstree Times this week.

The Leicester City midfielder has offered the reward for information which leads to the conviction of the thieves and the safe return of his football awards, discovered missing from his home, off Watford Road, on Thursday, June 13, while he holidayed with his family.

Police confirmed that three England caps, an FA Charity Shield winner's medal and two FA Charity Shield runners-up medals were taken, as well as Cartier watches worth thousands of pounds.

Mr Wise, 35, who is renting a home in Radlett while having another house built away from the area, said he was shocked when his mother called to tell him what had happened, and added: "I want them back, and if I can get them back it will be great. They are the things I have achieved in life.

"Burglaries do happen but to take something that means nothing to them, is more disappointing than anything.

"They cannot do anything with what they have got. I believe they have taken them out of spite more than anything. They cannot sell them they could put them up on the wall in their house, but they would probably have to take them down if people came round."

The ex-Chelsea captain said the burglary had not put the family off Radlett, which they had moved to on hearing it was a "very nice area" and because it was accessible from Leicester, but now they "could not wait" to get out of the house.

Anyone with information is asked to call DC Juan Quayle on 01707 638166, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

July 4, 2002 17:30