A heartbroken mother has made a desperate plea to the gutless thieves who stole the only precious and irreplaceable memories she has of her stillborn baby son.
Natalie Bell and her partner Cain Mouat were moving house when their car broke down between Smythesdale and Linton near Ballarat in Victoria’s Central Highlands between 12.30am and 1am on Sunday morning.
The Skipton couple left their car on the side of the road and were horrified when they returned four hours later to find their vehicle had been broken into and four suitcases containing all of their possessions gone.
Among the stolen possessions was a treasured memory box containing photos, a blanket, teddy tear, ultrasound video, knitted bonnet and lock of baby hair, the only memories Ms Bell has of her baby son Benjamin who was stillborn in December 2006.
A tearful Natalie Bell (pictured) issued a public plea to the thieves who stole the memory box
Three days on, Ms Bell is still struggling to come to terms about the missing box.
‘I would give heaven and Earth for it to be returned,’ she told Daily Mail Australia.
‘He was my only child. I was pregnant nine times and miscarriage every time before I became pregnant with Benjamin, who died an hour before he was born. I couldn’t have any more children after that.’
She now wishes she’d taken the box with her when they left the car or kept it in storage.
‘The car started making funny noises, so we pulled over and couldn’t get the car started again,’ Ms Bell said.
‘It was in the middle of the night so we had no choice to abandoned the car and get help. We took a few things with us as we had food in the car.’
Ms Bell posted a heartfelt public post on Facebook in the hope the memory box will be returned.
‘The car is no longer going, we now have no car, no clothes, no shoes, nothing- they took it all,’ the emotional post states.
‘I need people to keep an eye out, these people took all that we own and some of those things can never be replaced.’
‘That box was all I had left of my son please help me we lost everything. It’s not even about the money. I’m heartbroken. I feel like my son has been taken from me all over again. Why are people so heartless, why.’
The devastated couple reported the brazen theft to police, who are investigating.
The stolen box (pictured) containing the only memories she has of her stillborn son Benjamin is the only stolen possession Natalie wants back
Natalie’s car (pictured) was broken into in the early hours of Sunday morning after it broke down while Natalie and her partner were moving house
Police found Cain’s wallet, a screw driver and glove found at the crime scene.
Ms Bell has set up a Facebook page to raise funds towards getting her car fixed so she can continue the desperate search for the precious memory box, which is green with flowers on the top.
Ms Bell broke down in tears as she issued a public plea to the heartless thieves.
While the clothes, jewellery and tools can be replaced, the memory box is the only stolen possession she wants back.
Cain Mouat and Natalie Bell reported the callous theft to police, who are investigating
‘If they do see this, don’t throw it away, don’t put it in the gutter, please,’ a distraught Ms Bell told Ten News First.
Mr Mouat added: ‘They can have everything in the car, they can have every single item that they’ve taken from the car, apart from that box. Just give us the box back.’
‘If they do keep it, I hope it haunts them for the rest if their life.’
Anyone with information about the theft is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Natalie Bell took to social media on Monday with a public plea for the return of the box