A Harry Potter prequel, which was handwritten by author JK Rowling on a postcard, was stolen from Howard Road in Birmingham. The West Midlands Police have asked fans to share their appeal to help recover the manuscript, which was stolen along with some jewellery between April 13 and 24.

The manuscript and jewellery were taken during the break-in between 13 and 24 April, West Midlands Police said. On Twitter, Rowling said “Please do not buy this if you are offered it. Originally auctioned for @englishpen, the owner supported writers’ freedoms by bidding for it.”

The manuscript was written on both sides of an A5 card for a charity auction nine years ago and sold for £25,000 (approximately Rs 20 lakh). The work is set three years before the protagonist Harry Potter’s birth and revolves around an adventure his father, James Potter, and godfather Sirius Black had as teenagers. The two characters were stopped by two “muggle” (non-wizard) policemen during a high-speed motorbike chase. The story concludes with them fleeing on broomsticks.