The family of a former Kingston University student who drowned in the Thames two years ago were left devastated after flowers laid in his memory were allegedly stolen at the weekend.
Jamie Smith, 19, from Grimsby, died after falling into the river after a night out in Kingston.
His body was pulled out of the Thames by Hampton Wick on January 19, 2013.
On the second anniversary of his death, step-sister Sophie Boswell and her boyfriend Adam Norris drove down to Kingston from Essex to put red and white Liverpool Football Club-themed flowers with personal messages on the banks of the Thames.
But the following day when Jamie’s father went to pay his respects at the same location, all signs of the heavy bouquets had disappeared.
The family do not believe the flowers could have been blown into the river
Mr Norris said: “Jamie’s dad was quite upset and angry that somebody would do this.
“There were heartfelt personal messages there but unfortunately it seems as if the flowers have been stolen.
“We don’t mind if people read the messages, but to take the flowers? It is extremely upsetting.”
He added he did not believe the flowers had fallen into the river as they had been placed some way away from the edge on a grassy verge, where he expected at least some remains would have been left.
Jamie, who had lived in Villiers Road, Surbiton, was a second year medical biochemistry student who also worked at children’s play centre Jelly Bugs in Kingston.
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