The late Stephen Carroll with his sons Keelan and Senan (left) and pictures of the two watches stolen in the break-in to his parents’ house at the weekend
A public appeal has been issued after two watches that a father had left his sons prior to passing away late last year from cancer were stolen from a house in Blackrock on Saturday night.
Local businessman Stephen Carroll of Carroll’s Newsagents and Hallmark passed away last November after a battle with illness.
The 38-year-old was popular in the local running and cycling communities, as well as in business circles in Dundalk, Drogheda, Monaghan and Navan, where he operated businesses as managing director of Carroll’s.
On Saturday night his parents Ian and Anita’s house was broken into in Blackrock.
Amongst the items taken were two Omega watches that Stephen had received for his 21st and 30th birthdays, which he left for his two sons Senan (10) and Keelan (8) to inherit. The family are described as being “distraught” at the thefts.
One watch was a Constellation model engraved on the back with ‘To Keelan love Daddy x’, while the other – a Seamaster model – is engraved with ‘To Senan love Daddy x’.
Anyone with any information on the whereabouts of these watches is asked to contact any member of the Carroll family or Dundalk Gardaí.
A family friend has asked all jewellers or anyone who is approached to buy watches to be aware of where they may have come from. She said: “My friends and I are trying to spread this as far as we can in order to appeal to the thieves’ conscience or simply to alert jewellers or anyone who may be approached with the watches. They are of great sentimental value due to Stephen’s passing and the family are distraught.”
Stephen, who has a third child called Roan, is also survived by his wife Breffnie and a large circle of family and friends.
