Girlfriend heartbroken after thieves steal dead police officer boyfriend’s gift

But for the grieving girlfriend of a Hampshire police officer killed in a cycling accident it holds precious memories of their time together.

Hannah Chalk holds dear anything that reminds her of PC Richard Phillips-Schofield, but particularly the bike (below) he gifted her given his love of the sport.

The 27-year-old, who was with Richard for six years up until his death, is still struggling to come terms with what happened only to find that thieves had got into the back garden and taken the prized possession from a locked shed.

The bike was one of five stolen from sheds in a five-day period on Pitmore Road, in Allbrook.

In tears, Hannah told how Richard had bought her the bike as a gift in January 2012, so the couple, who lived in Hedge End, could go out on bike rides together and Hannah could share his passion for the sport.

The popular 33-year-old, who served at Bitterne police station and policed Southampton for ten years, came off his race bike in a British Cycling event at the Mountbatten Centre velodrome in March last year.

He died 48 hours later.

Although Hannah has felt unable to ride the blue Cannondale F700 since Richard’s death, she desperately wants it back.

“It signifies our years together,” said Hannah, who works in sales for an IT company.

“It’s just so special.

“I don’t know if I would ever ride it because of what’s happened, but I wanted to have it there and look at it.

“Everything’s been taken away and it’s just another thing.

“I know it’s just a bike but it’s so hard to live with what’s happened.”

 She is hoping her appeal will prick someone’s conscience or alert someone who may have bought the bike to return it.

But she told how she felt she had let her late boyfriend down.

“I just feel really angry with myself because absolutely everything that has any connection with Rich is just the most important thing that I own and to somebody else that means absolutely nothing,” said Hannah.

“Rich being a policeman was always saying to me ‘are you sure your bike’s safe?’ “I just hope these people know cruel it is what they have done.

“People have no idea what they can do to somebody when somebody loses someone and they take something away that’s got such a lot of memories attached, it’s just so unfair.

“He was just so amazing, I just absolutely loved him more than anything - I just miss him so much.”

The bike has black and red wheels, a black drinks holder, a white saddle and the handlebars are dark blue with red.

Eastleigh Police appealed for anyone with information on the thefts, between January 14 and 18, to call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.