RANSACKED
Santa toys broken and wedding money taken
A FAMILY Christmas ended in disaster when a burglar ransacked a house on Greenpark Road.
The mother, father and three-year-old child came home from a walk on December 25 to find a man making off out a bedroom window.
He took €800 put aside for their wedding, and damaged their home and property.
The father tried to pursue, but the man escaped over a wall.
On a gofundme.ie page set up to help the victims of the burglary, the father said that all interior doors were smashed and off their hinges, a computer ripped open and damaged, clothes ripped and stomped on, and their daughter’s presents from Santa smashed and all over the floors.
It was ‘certainly not a sight to come home to on Christmas Day’, the man said on the gofundme page.
The family has been overwhelmed by offers of help and support since the break-in.
Anyone who saw anything suspicious can contact Bray Garda Station at 01 6665300.
A BRAY family came home from a Christmas Day walk to find a thief making off with €800 from their wedding fund.
The parents and three-yearold daughter from Greenpark Road had gone to the park to play.
As the family, who have asked not to be named, returned to their home, they saw the man coming out their daughter’s bedroom window. The father tried to pursue, but the man escaped over a wall.
On a gofundme.ie page set up to compensate the victims of the burglary, the father said that all interior doors were smashed off their hinges, a computer was ripped open and damaged, clothes ripped and stomped on, and their daughter’s presents from Santa smashed and all over the floor.
It was ‘certainly not a sight to come home to on Christmas Day’, the man said on the gofundme page.
Family friend Jan Rejthar put out an appeal for help on St Stephen’s day and said that the response has been overwhelming.
‘ They have gotten unexpected support from the Bray community,’ said Jan. ‘People were showing up with gifts for their daughter, bringing support and reassurance to their door,’ said Jan.
‘ The moment it was announced on Facebook, people I have never met were contacting me asking what they can do and offering to provide comfort and support to save their Christmas.’
He said that the family faces practical hurdles, including finding someone to replace and fix the damage done to the house and the security of the house.
‘People showed up the next morning to help clean the house, take the family out for a coffee, with gifts for the little girl, or some chocolates to just lift the family’s spirit,’ said Jan. ‘ Those acts are precious.’
All the same, the family members are shocked and traumatised by the violation of their safety.
‘The faith and hope that we connect with Christmas got stolen away with the material items and will not get replaced easily, if ever,’ said Jan.
Donations can be made at gofundme.ie/ help saving xmas. If donations were to seriously exceed the target, the surplus money will be donated to charity.
Gardaí said that they are following leads and anyone who saw anything can contact Bray Garda Station on (01) 6665300.