Robert Peston pleas for return of late wife's rings after burglary

Robert Peston took a short leave of absence from his BBC role after his wife died, but has since returned to work

The BBC’s business editor Robert Peston today appealed for the return of his late wife’s engagement and wedding rings that were stolen in a burglary at his London home.

In a message posted on Twitter, Mr Peston said: "Burgled last night. My beloved late wife's 1920s engagement & wedding rings taken. Naive to think they might turn up, but..."

Police said that the burglars forced open the back door of his home in Muswell Hill, north London, after 2pm on Wednesday and stole computer equipment jewellery that belonged to Sian Busby, the novelist, who died of lung cancer in September.

The wedding ring first belonged to his grandmother. The platinum and diamond wedding ring, a Welsh love ring and a necklace with ‘mum’ bought by their son were also stolen. “They were things she wore all the time,” Mr Peston told the Ham & High newspaper. “I was going to give them to the boys as and when they get married.”

Ms Busby, a schoolfriend of Mr Peston’s sister, had a short-lived relationship with Mr Peston during their university days which ended when he moved to Brussels. She subsequently married and had a son before that marriage ended in divorce.

Ms Busby and Mr Peston rekindled their relationship in the mid-1990s after Mr Peston’s sister was seriously injured in a road accident and she visited the hospital to help her recover. They have a teenage son, Max, and married in 1998.