NO BURGLAR WILL SCARE JEAN AWAY
JEAN White’s home is her castle and nothing will scare her out of it.
At 96 and one of the latest victims of property crime in Toowoomba, this long-time Garden City resident refuses to be cowered by thieves.
Even after her Harristown home was forcibly entered, her cupboards rifled through, possessions left scattered across the floor, jewellery stolen and a sentimental gold sovereign taken - she won’t back down.
“She’s very independent,” granddaughter Sue Carr said.
SOVEREIGN STOLEN IN BREAK-IN
Mrs White, known as Nana Jean, was burgled overnight on Saturday when a window screen was slashed and the robbers jumped through from a wheelie bin moved from the front of her house.
The house, which she has lived in for more than 55 years and never before been broken into, was locked and secure, which Nana Jean checked twice before turning in for the night.
Mrs Carr said the family was thankful Nana Jean was asleep because her fighting spirit meant she would have confronted the robbers.
“She says she is fine about it,” Mrs Carr said.
“It has probably rocked us more than her because we’re on social media and we read the news and see more and more reports of this happening.
“Nobody will scare Nana Jean out of her castle.”
Mrs Carr and her cousin Karen Parker spent yesterday combing local pawn shops and repairing the window after the burglary.
Aside from the invasion of privacy, the family went public with an appeal to try and locate the stolen items.
These include the gold sovereign Nana Jean was given by her uncle when she was born, a gold expanding bracelet with a blue sapphire and other items.
But Mrs Carr also wants to warn others, particularly the elderly, to lock their homes.
“I think people just need to be really aware of locking up their belongings, even though this was a true break and enter,” she told The Chronicle.
“Somebody’s life has been violated. Nana’s worked all her life, paid off her own home and she’s been a widow for over 50 years, worked bloody hard and for someone to come in and take what is hers is, you know, just the worst thing anybody can do.”
For her part, Nana Jean had one message for those who broke in: “They’re a bunch of turds.”
Phone Crime Stoppers on
1800 333 000.