Foiled, plot to burgle Cilla’s home during her funeral
THIEVES had been plan- ning to burgle Cilla Black’s home during her funeral, it emerged last night.
They cut a circular hole in the perimeter fence of the singer’s mansion in preparation for the raid, family said.
The hole was discovered yesterday before anything was stolen, but security has been stepped up around the tenbedroom property in Buckinghamshire.
It is not known if anyone was in the house at the time but Ms Black’s three sons were in Liverpool yesterday for the inquest into the death of their 72-year-old mother, whose funeral will be held in the city on Thursday.
Jewellery, art and other valuables belonging to t he TV presenter, who died at her Spanish villa two weeks ago, have been removed to a secure location as a precaution. Last night Ms Black’s eldest son, Robert Willis, 45, condemned the thieves.
‘ I cannot believe someone would stoop so low at a time like this,’ he said. ‘It’s inconceivable. Thankfully it was discovered.’
Police confirmed they were investigating reports of criminal damage at the property. No one has been arrested.
Ms Black’s former publicist Nick Fiveash said: ‘A plot to burgle the Buckinghamshire home of the late Cilla Black has been foiled. A professionally cut circular hole was discovered in the perimeter fence of her Denham home ahead of her funeral.
‘The police were immediately informed, 24-hour security has been increased on the property and all valuable assets including art, jewellery and her personal items have been removed. It looks as if they have been preparing to burgle the house during the funeral.
Yesterday at the 15- minute inquest, during which Ms Black was described as the ‘daughter of Liverpool’, coroner Andre Rebello recorded a verdict of accidental death. He ruled that the singer died from a traumatic head injury sustained in a fall on the terrace of her villa in Estepona on the Costa del Sol on August 1.
Mr Rebello told Ms Black’s sons Robert, Ben and Jack: ‘It is right that you grieve and remember her.
‘Far more important is that you celebrate her life, but your mum was far more than just your mum. She was a daughter of Liverpool and she was a celebrity and loved by all in Liverpool and that will be part of her abiding memory and memorial.’
He urged them to cherish their personal memories of Ms Black, adding: ‘It is those memories of the ordinary things she did, normal family events, the love shared and the love given, that must be her abiding memory, not just for this generation, but for each born in the future.’
Mr Rebello released Ms Black’s body for burial, adding: ‘The thrust of the evidence clearly points to only one conclusion, she died from accidental death.’
The funeral will take place at St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Liverpool.
Ms Black, whose husband Bobby Willis died in 1999, will be laid to rest alongside her parents at Allerton Cemetery.
‘How could they stoop so low?’