Father wished neighbours well shortly before 'killed by dognappers'

‘All the best’: Father wished neighbours well in heartbreaking note revealing his house had been ransacked by burglars – shortly before he was ‘killed by dognappers who wanted his labradoodle’

Donald ‘Prentice’ Patience was found dead at his home in Radcliffe on Tuesday
Police had been called to reports burglars were trying to steal his beloved dog
Thieves previously ransacked his home in December, neighbours have revealed

A father wished his neighbours ‘all the best for 2023’ in a heartbreaking note revealing his house had been ransacked by burglars – shortly before he is believed to have been murdered by dognappers

The evil crooks stole Donald ‘Prentice’ Patience’s designer labradoodle after it was deliberately ‘targeted’, say police – as it emerged his home had been raided months before.

Thieves previously stole his brother’s Mercedes C-Class and used it to remove other items from his house – including his child’s pitbike and several TVs.

Also among the haul was a gaming chair and his hoover – as the devastated father told locals: ‘I recently returned to my house to find all my stuff had been stolen.’

The details were revealed in a heartbreaking note by Mr Patience sent to his neighbours in January, which has been seen by MailOnline.

He concluded: ‘I hope you had a good Christmas and New Year.’

Mr Patience was found dead in his home on Tuesday morning by police after burglars smashed into it and snatched his beloved pet, Layla.

The letter written by Mr Patience, which was shared with neighbours following the break-in at his home back in December

Donald ‘Prentice’ Patience, 45, was found dead after police were called to a home in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester amid reports burglars were trying to steal his pet dog. He is pictured with his children and ex-wife, Kirsty

Police were called to reports of burglars trying to steal a labradoodle from the home. These labradoodle puppies were pictured on Donald’s Facebook

Investigators are questioning a 39-year-old man on suspicion of murder after releasing a 27-year-old and a 41-year-old man on bail pending further enquiries.

MailOnline can today reveal the 45-year-old father-of-three had been the victim of a previous break-in months earlier, which saw thieves ransacking his humble end-of-terrace house in Radcliffe, Manchester.

Police say loving father was ‘targeted’ in a deliberate attack

Detectives investigating the killing of a father-of-four by suspected dognappers say they are ‘confident’ he was deliberately ‘targeted’.

Detective Chief Inspector Rachel Smith of GMP’s Major Incident Team has insisted the force is doing all it can to bring Donald ‘Prentice’ Patience’s killers to justice.

She added: ‘First, as a force, we would like to pass on our condolences to Donald’s loved ones at this extremely distressing time, we are doing all we can to get the answers they deserve and find out what has happened.

‘Since we were made aware of this incident earlier this week our investigation has been swift and precise, with three arrested because of our enquiries with one at the scene at the time of the suspected burglary.

‘I would like to reassure the local public, as I understand there will be alarm when finding out about this, but we are confident it is a targeted attack.’

‘Prentice was the only one we used to see much of, however. He’d always take the dog for a walk.’

Police were called 10.30am on Tuesday after a man had taken the labradoodle to a dog grooming business just 160ft from Mr Patience’s home. The male was arrested and the dog was seized by officers.

The labradoodle – puppies of which can sell for between £700 to £1,500 – is now being looked after by the relevant authority, Greater Manchester Police added.

Detective Chief Inspector Rachel Smith of GMP’s Major Incident Team said: ‘I would like to reassure the local public, as I understand there will be alarm when finding out about this, but we are confident it is a targeted attack.’

The revelation came as Mr Patience’s heartbroken family today described him as ‘a much-loved son, brother and father and will be sorely missed by many, affectionately known as Prentice’ – as the local community expressed shock at his ‘murder’.

And his ex-wife Kirsty, with whom he shared three children, also paid tribute, hailing him an ‘incredible man’ who ‘adored his children’.

‘This breaks my heart to have to write this,’ she wrote on social media. ‘As a lot of you may have already seen, this week we lost an extremely incredible man.

‘Despite whatever happened between us, Prentice was an amazing father and adored his children.

‘We are all truly heartbroken at this news and we are all struggling to come to terms with his death.’

A Home Office post-mortem examination concluded Mr Patience’s death was suspicious. Three men have since been arrested on suspicion of murder.

After being questioned two men, aged 27 and 41, have been released on bail pending further enquires, while a 39-year-old man remains in police custody.

Greater Manchester Police added that Mr Patience’s loved ones were being supported by family liaison officers.

Police officers were pictured guarding the scene of the killing in Radcliffe on Friday morning

Mr Patience, 45, adored his children and his dog, say locals. He is pictured during a family trip to London

Family members have previously shared pictures of a white labradoodle, thought to be this one which burglars were reportedly trying to steal, on Facebook

In a post on social media, Mr Patience’s ex-wife described him as an ‘amazing father’ who ‘adored his children’

The end-terrace remains cordoned off today with police standing guard outside. Pictures from the scene show a back kitchen window has been shattered.

Blue and white tape has marked off the property and forensic officers, in white overalls, have also been seen entering the house this morning.

Locals claim police swooped and arrested a man before seizing the dog, according to Mick Hewitson, 58, who runs The Dog Shop.

He told MailOnline: ‘I’d not long opened up the shop and a young man called in and said “I only live over the road, my boss wants his dog’s hair cut, can you do it?”

‘The man was fairly young, at a guess I’d say in his late 20s, and the dog was an off-white ladbradoodle.

‘He said his boss had gone up to Scotland and left him some money for the dog to get a trim.

‘I have a sore shoulder so I’m limiting the amount of work I’ve got on at the moment – particularly walk-ins – so I declined. The man and dog walked off.

‘This must have been just before 10am on Tuesday as I already had another dog in.

‘Half an hour later the police had all rushed around and that same man was arrested. The police had hold of the same labradoodle.

Locals claim a white labradoodle was taken to this dog grooming salon on the morning of the killing – with police later arresting a man

Police were pictured on Friday morning guarding the scene of the suspected murder

‘I’ve never seen the dog before that, or the bloke who was killed even though the house where it happened is just across the road.’

A woman who lives near the dog grooming shop said she had seen the labradoodle in the back of a police van.

She said: ‘There was a man who was being arrested. I asked an officer what was going on and he told me that he thought the man had stolen the dog.’

Emilya Habtagebriel, 25, believes she may have come face-to-face with one of the killers.

The mother of two said: ‘I’d come out the back of my house some time between 10.30am and 11am on Tuesday and there was a young man coming out of the house behind mine.

‘I remember he had a white dog on the lead. He smiled and said hello and I waved back.

‘My daughter absolutely loves dogs and I went back in to get her and show her the dog but the man had vanished.

‘I didn’t see where he went but he was quick to get away.

‘It wasn’t the man who was found dead. It was a younger man, I’d say late-20s.

‘Not long after that the street was filled with police and we later found out that the man who lived in the house had been murdered.

‘It’s a shock. I don’t know who the man I saw was but he appeared calm. I didn’t hear any shouting or screaming or smashing, nothing like that at all.

Forensic officers in white overalls have been seen at the property today

Upon searching the home, police found the body of 45-year-old Donald ‘Prentice’ Patience. He was pronounced dead at the scene

‘But the dog he had with him on a lead was a labradoodle.’

Another neighbour said Mr Patience was originally from Scotland and along with his children, his dog was ‘his life’.

One woman, who did not want to be named, said: ‘Donald had been here a while and said hello to most people but to be honest we didn’t know much about him.

‘He was Scottish and lived in the house alone, except for his labradoodle Layla, who he would walk around the block at least twice a day.

‘He had children but they didn’t live with him. I think along with his kids, that dog was his life. He really doted on Layla.

‘We were out when it happened. It’s supposed to have been a burglary and the dog was snatched. He would have put up a fight to stop someone stealing her, that’s for sure.’

News of the killing sent shockwaves through the local community, with floral tributes today being left outside the end-of-terrace.

Investigators are now urging anyone who may have seen or heard anything unusual earlier this week in or around the area.

DCI Smith added: ‘First, as a force, we would like to pass on our condolences to Donald’s loved ones at this extremely distressing time, we are doing all we can to get the answers they deserve and find out what has happened.

Floral tributes have since been left outside the home where the father was found dead

Crime officers are pictured entering the garden of the property, passing by floral tributes left in honour of Mr Patience

‘Since we were made aware of this incident earlier this week our investigation has been swift and precise, with three arrested because of our enquiries, with one at the scene at the time of the suspected burglary.

‘We now want to appeal to the local community for any eyewitness accounts or footage of any activity that we may be able to link to this investigation.

‘We are also looking for people who may know Donald, have seen him walking his beloved white labradoodle in the local area or have any knowledge of any activity at or near his address, which is an end terrace on Ainsworth Road, since Friday 18 August 2023.

‘It is crucial we have as much detail as possible to help piece together what has happened in this tragic incident where someone has sadly lost their life.

‘We are keeping all available lines of enquiry open but no matter how small, your piece of information may be that crucial bit of evidence we need that can help us with this investigation.’

Mr Patience was hailed as a loving and devoted father by his family, with pictures on social media showing him surrounded by his children.

His eldest son was hailed a ‘miracle’ child by Mr Paitence’s ex-wife. The youngster underwent three open-heart operations before the age of five – with his first taking place at just 13 days old.

It comes after he was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a congenital defect which means the left ventricle does not work properly.

Speaking to The Bury Times in 2014, mother Kirsty said: ‘As soon as he got back into intensive care after his first operation he started losing so much blood that his heart stopped beating.

Mr Patience (pictured) was described as an ‘amazing father who adored his children’. He was also a Manchester City fan

‘He was technically dead and the doctors had to start pumping his heart again with their fingertips. He is a bit of a miracle really.’

News of Mr Patience’s murder has left locals stunned, with people expressing their horror online.

One woman said: ‘Poor man. Too much of these unspeakable crimes going on at the moment.’

Another added: ‘Shocking! God bless you young man RIP’.

A third person said: ‘I’m so so sorry to his family, may he rest in peace, God bless you xx’.

Ben Johnson, who worked with Mr Patience at Express Estate Agency in Manchester city centre for five years, said he was horrified to hear of the death of his former colleague.

He told MailOnline: ‘He was genuinely one of the most caring, understanding and empathetic people I have ever had the pleasure of working with and meeting.

‘When times were tough, he was always there to lend a helping hand to me to be an ear to bend. He always had time for me and others.’

One heartbroken relative said their family had been left devastated by the death. Appealing to the public for help, they wrote on social media: ‘Please, if you know or have seen anything… please, please contact the police.

‘Heartbreaking news for my family this week, you didn’t deserve to have your life taken in this way. Fly high Prent xx’

Those with details can call police on 0161 856 3635 or 101 quoting incident number 1139 of 22/08/2023 or via the independent charity – Crimestoppers – on 0800 555 111.

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‘All the best’: Father wished neighbours well in heartbreaking note revealing his house had been ransacked by burglars – shortly before he was ‘killed by dognappers who wanted his labradoodle’

READ MORE: Stolen labradoodle was taken to dog grooming salon just hours after dognappers broke into 45-year-old owner’s home and murdered him – as family pay tribute to ‘incredible’ father

Police say loving father was ‘targeted’ in a deliberate attack