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A vicar who came face-to-face with a burglar in his home this week has spoken of his heartbreak after discovering precious jewellery belonging to his late wife was stolen.

The Reverend Simon Harvey, of St Mary’s Church, in Upper Street, Islington, was devastated after realising rings that belonged to his wife Jennifer, who died nine weeks ago, had been taken from their bedroom in the vicarage.

“It’s absolutely heartbreaking,” he told the Tribune. “He took the really important things – five rings, including the first one I bought ­Jennifer when she was 18 when we were boyfriend and girlfriend, our engagement ring and wedding ring.

“I had recently put them in order. It’s a connection between us. Our marriage is the best thing that ever happened to me.”

He added: “Nine weeks into grieving and then this happens. It’s been a big blow.”

Mr Harvey, 52, had just returned home from an afternoon meeting on Wednesday when he heard a knock upstairs. He called out but got no reply.

“Then I heard another knock,” he said. “And at that point I thought there was someone in my house.

“I went upstairs into the utility room and I just pushed the door open and right in front of me is a chap. I asked him: ‘Who are you?’ and he was just cool as a cucumber.

“He came up with an excuse saying he was authorised to be there and I said: ‘No you are not.’ Then he just slipped past me and I followed him and said: ‘Hang on, I need to talk to you’.”

The man fled downstairs and out the front door. Mr Harvey following him into Upper Street, where he disappeared.

Mr Harvey added: “He wasn’t threatening and I thought it wasn’t the worst thing that has happened to me recently, until I realised what he had taken. I found the empty jewellery boxes on the floor and I just burst into tears.”

After discovering the jewellery and cash were missing, he posted an appeal on Twitter, since retweeted hundreds of times. He asked: “Can you help find my late wife’s stolen jewellery? Contact police on 101.”

Despite his hurt at the loss of the rings, the vicar said he was willing to meet the thief to “help him find some redemption”.

“If he [the suspected burglar] is willing, I would like to see him again,” he said. “We had half a conversation up there and I would like to finish that.

“I would want him to know what losing these precious things feels like but I would also want to know his story and what brought him here. I think there’s always a possibil­ity of redemption.”

Ms Harvey, who died in March aged 52 after a short illness, was a committed member of the Labour Party and supporter of the trade union movement.

Last month more than 500 mourners, including Islington South and Finsbury MP Emily Thornberry, attended her funeral.

A keen supporter of Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, she was chairwoman of the Breach Venture, a project which helped young people disaffected by education. She also worked for Save the Children, Walsall Voluntary Action, Comic Relief, the Community Fund, Action Homeless and Remploy, a charity which helps disabled people find work.

The couple, who have two grown-up sons, had been together since meeting at secondary school in Wolverhampton and had been married for almost 30 years.

The suspect is described as a white man, 5ft 9in tall, of medium build, with short, dark brown hair and facial stubble. He was wearing dark trousers and a grey T-shirt with a white and black hoop design.

Anyone with information that could help police with their investigation is asked to call Islington CID on 101, quoting reference number 2712610/16.

• Mr Harvey is inviting residents to St Mary’s Church annual Soul in the City festival, which starts on Wednesday and goes on for five days. Events include a performance of Rossini’s opera The Barber of Seville, a kids’ club, nail art workshop, a digital film workshop and a classical concert. The festival will close with a church service next Sunday.