X FACTOR presenter Dermot O’Leary has issued a heartfelt plea for help after his wedding ring was stolen from a gym in London.
The 47-year-old's bag, containing the ring and a gold crucifix, was taken from a locked locker at Psycle on Mortimer Street in the English capital.
O’Leary, who recently celebrated the birth of his first child with wife Dee Koppang, took to Instagram to share a photo of the man police suspect may have been involved in the theft.
Reaching out for help on social media, the TV present said that the missing items mean “nothing to him and everything to me.”
He said: “I know there are more important things happening in the world right now, but last week my bag (with my wedding ring in it) was stolen from a locked locker at ‘Psycle’ on Mortimer St. London.
“I’m not after any special preferential treatment. ‘I’m not the victim of a violent crime, and even though no-one should have to – I can handle all the impersonal items being stolen (the wallet, phone, watch, keys etc.).”
He explained that someone had stolen his “wedding ring & gold crucifix. Something that would mean nothing to him – but everything to me.”
O’Leary added: “I’ve made peace with the knowledge that I’ll probably never see these cherished items again.”
Do you recognise this man? We wish to speak to him re theft of a bag from a gym in Mortimer Street W1 on 13 Aug. Items stolen include a wedding ring etched on inner side with ‘14/9/12 Team KO’. Pls call police on 101 ref 6195/21aug with any info about the man or the stolen ring pic.twitter.com/Gv9xR11zwY
— MPS Westminster (@MPSWestminster) August 21, 2020
The former T4 host added that he’d “Really like it if you, your loved ones, or anyone else you know, didn’t have to go through the same ordeal of having your personal items stolen by [whoever took these items]”.
He implored anyone who might recognise the suspect to come fowrward.
"If you recognise him, or can give any information on him- please call 101 quoting ref 6195/21Aug.lease share, retweet and get his face everywhere. […]”
“Thank you. Dermot. X"
MPS Westminster also shared the picture on Twitter, writing: “Do you recognise this man? We wish to speak to him re theft of a bag from a gym in Mortimer Street W1 on 13 Aug. Items stolen include a wedding ring etched on inner side with ‘14/9/12 Team KO’. Pls call police on 101 ref 6195/21aug with any info about the man or the stolen ring.”
O’Leary is an active member of the Irish community in London and patron of the London Irish Centre.
Back in May, when much of the English capital was in lockdown, he joined up with the London Irish Centre’s volunteer team delivering essential food parcels to elderly Irish residents required to cocoon during the pandemic.