A STRUGGLING young family suffered a brutal blow when their home was broken into and they were robbed of their most meaningful family heirlooms.
Mark and Reann Shaw and their 10-month old daughter Annalise, came home to scenes of destruction at their Bruce Street, Tolland home on Friday.
Mrs Shaw found the front door of the couples brick-veneer home wide open. Unusual, considering they always exit and enter the house through the garage.
The couples dog was clearly distressed – barking like mad.
“They’d bent the security door,” Mrs Shaw said.
Inside, trashed draws were strewn across the living room and a large projector had been carelessly ripped from its shelf.
But the true hurt of the blatant theft hit home when Mrs Shaw went to the master bedroom.
“I went to the ring stand and I noticed my engagement ring was gone,” Mrs Shaw said.
A netball accident, the week beforehand, had forced her to retire the ring while her finger recovered.
“I shed a few tears but the really upsetting thing was losing Mark’s watch.”
Mark Shaw’s father died of cancer 11 years ago.
A “simple bloke” he didn’t have a lot of possessions – but on the day the couple wed, his mother gave him his father’s gold watch.
“It was the only real thing I had of Dad’s,” a clearly distraught Mr Shaw said.
“It cheapens Dad’s memory,” he said. “What are they going to get for it? $50? It’s just a lack of respect.”
The Shaws said other seemingly worthless items were snatched – including two television remotes. The televisions were left behind.
“Why would they take these things?” Mr Shaw said.
The Shaw’s pleaded with the community to look out for their irreplaceable heirlooms on classifieds sites and in pawn shops.
“We also want to stress that you should make sure your valuables are safely stored, when you are out of the house, and car keys aren't left out either,” Mr Shaw said.
Wagga Local Area Command Detective Inspector Darren Cloake urged the community to be vigilant about reporting suspicious behaviour to police.
“We will respond,” he pledged.
He said a large number of crimes were instigated by young people who went to “a degree of organisation and planning” to successfully carry out break and enters.
A Neighbourhood Watch meeting held last night would determine future approaches to crime prevention and detection, Detective Inspector Cloake said. If you know anything about the items contact Wagga police on 6922 2599.
