Two devastated parents are begging for the return of their stolen caravan, taken only a day after the sudden loss of their little boy.
The white 1976 York Caravan was allegedly stolen about 11.30pm on November 2 when it was parked on Karingal Dr in Frankston, southeast Melbourne.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Caravan stolen from grieving family after toddler’s death.
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today
Owner Mo Melville said two cars were involved, with one car reversing in, attaching the caravan and towing it away while another followed behind as a lookout.
CCTV captures the moment a black car pulls up, a person steps out and the caravan is taken.
The theft happened just one day after the death of Melville’s three-year-old son, Merson, who suffered a sudden cardiac arrest.
Melville and his wife Penny — owners of Momentum Café — are begging for the caravan’s return, saying it holds irreplaceable memories from their final holiday with their little boy.
“This is extremely sentimental to us after the most extreme tragedy parents can go through the day before,” Melville wrote on social media.
Merson has been remembered as “a bright, happy, superhero-loving boy who adored his big sister Sassika and filled every room with joy”, according to a GoFundMe page set up to support the family.
“His absence has left an unimaginable ache in the hearts of all who knew him,” the fundraiser read.
“Running a small business is hard enough in the best of times, but doing so while navigating profound grief is beyond words.
“This fundraiser has been created to help ease some of the financial strain the family now faces.”
Merson’s funeral will be held at Saint Lazarus Chapel at 11.30am on November 26.
The timing of the theft has shocked the local community, with many expressing disbelief that anyone could target a grieving family.
In a post shared by Momentum Café, the community is urging anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage from the area to check their cameras.
The message also appeals directly to the thieves, saying they can return the caravan anonymously, with “no questions asked” and no charges pursued.
“The family want one thing above all else, they just want the caravan back,” the post read.
The caravan is a white 1976 York with a blue mid-stripe, a custom drawbar and a MacPac bike rack.
The registration is 44135B.
Police are urging anyone with information or footage from the area to come forward as investigations continue.
