A popular DJ was left devastated after having his precious record collection - worth up to £250,000 - stolen from his home. It all happened a few hours after widower Ted Massey returned to his home in Birmingham after playing a gig at a pub in Nottingham.
The 73-year-old said he was in bed at his home in Sutton Coldfield, and was first alerted to the intrusion by his doorbell camera at around 11.20pm. Mr Massey said he started panicking, and before he knew it two men ran up his stairs - with one of the burglars pushing his way into his bedroom.
The intruders demanded boxes full of records be "handed over". Mr Massey's records, including rare findings purchased over decades of working as a DJ, have now vanished, leaving him "devastated".
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The Northern Soul DJ said he suspected he was followed home after playing a gig at the Rose and Crown pub in Nottingham. He told Nottinghamshire Live: "I was in Nottingham at Rose and Crown in the afternoon at a social event. I parked my car at an angle, and the back of my car was in full view of the restaurant.
"So people will have seen me getting the record boxes out of the car. I have a decent, quality car, and they would have seen my registration plates as well."
He also spoke of the ordeal, adding: "I was in bed, and then I got out of bed and I have tried to put them away to get to the bedroom door. But one of them just pushed his way, and I got back into bed because I did not know what he was going to do to me. And the next thing he says is 'where are the two boxes'?
"I said they were downstairs, and then he went downstairs. I got up, went out the door and saw another guy following him downstairs.
"When he was in the room, I was trying to call the police but I just could not suddenly remember that if you press hard on the right button, it brings up the SOS. You do not realise that because you are just panicking."
He said that the incident has not put him off from coming to further events in Nottinghamshire. However, he said he wants his records back - as some of them could fetch £10,000 each due to their rarity.
Mr Massey said it took him 37 years to build up his impressive collection. "It is a stupid way of saying", he added, "but the [the records] almost become your babies. You open the box, look at the with pride."
The devastating event also reduced his capacity as a DJ, he added. "It has reduced my capacity to do Northern Soul venues. The maddening thing is that there are a lot of people in the Nottinghamshire area. I always feel the love of the people that come to the venues in Nottingham. Everyone is friendly, everyone is happy."
West Midlands Police has since issued a statement, reports Birmingham Live. A West Midlands Police spokesperson said: "We're investigating a burglary at an address in Sutton Coldfield at around 11.30pm on Sunday (26 February).
"Three men managed to access the property while the occupier was home. They made off with records, laptop, car keys and cash. We'll be reviewing CCTV and other footage in the area and anyone with information can contact us via Live Chat on our website and quote 20/214626/23."
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