By Victoria Stone-Meadows
A Berwick man has said he is shocked and angry after thieves stole his wife’s wedding and engagement ring and his deceased mother’s jewellery from his home.
“I never thought that I would have a break in,” said the man who wished to remain anonymous.
The front door of the couple’s Strathaven Drive home was forced open between 8am and 4pm on Thursday 12 January.
It wasn’t until the man and his wife had been home from work for almost two hours when he received a call from his bank asking about transactions on his credit cards.
“My wife and I had left for work on Thursday morning and when we got home on Thursday evening, we didn’t realise anything had happened until I got a call from my bank asking me if I had made purchases,” he said.
“I said no, those cards are in my room and I don’t touch them so I went a looked for them and they were gone so we cancelled the cards and started looking around the house.”
The thieves stole a number of items from the home including the couple’s passports, ice-creams from the freezer, but then the couple discovered that their most personal and valued items had been taken from the house.
“My wife’s wedding and engagement rings and her mother’s pearl necklace have been stolen.
“Her mum passed away so that has got a lot of sentimental value.
“They stole perfume as well so we started to suspect might be women because a lot of women’s things gone.
“I was in complete shock and disbelief and that turned to anger when we found the wedding rings and my mother in law’s peals were gone, they are the main things we are upset about,” the man said.
The victim said it didn’t take long for paranoia to set in and for the couple to begin suspecting people they knew for stealing from them.
Police are investigating the incident and checking the CCTV footage at the stores where the stolen credit cards were used but the victim said he just wants the stolen items back.
“I’m just on the edge of my seat waiting for the police to call.”
The man said people need to be vigilant and sure of their home security because thieves could strike when it was least expected.
“Make sure your house is secure because burglars are everywhere in every suburb no matter where you live.
“If my house was more secure I don’t think they would have broken in.”
Police have released images of the stolen jewellery and ask anyone who has seen the items to contact Detective Senior Constable Julia Doyle at Narre Warren Police Station.
