J.K. Rowling sends heartfelt tweet to fans after rare 'Harry Potter' prequel is stolen

J.K. Rowling never refrains from public appeals for a good cause as her tireless Twitter activity shows. But this time, it's really personal.

A rare Harry Potter prequel, penned personally by the author over two sides of an A5 postcard, has been stolen during a burglary in Birmingham, central England, according to police.

The 800-word story, set three years before Harry is born, sold for £25,000 ($32,135) at a charity auction in 2008 for English Pen, an association which supports writers' freedom.

Rowling retweeted an appeal by West Midlands police to Harry Potter fans to help find the rare prequel:

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Police hope the appeal "goes far and wide among Harry Potter fans throughout the world."

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"The only people who will buy this unique piece are true Harry Potter fans. We are appealing to anyone who sees, or is offered this item for sale, to contact police," said Constable Paul Jauncey from West Midlands Police.

A quantity of jewellery was also stolen from the property on Howard Road when it was broken into sometime between April 13-24.

If you know the whereabouts of the unique and rare postcard or if you have information about the break-in, please contact West Midlands Police on 101.