Stolen Xmas gifts found in woodland
A BURGLARY victim found out her Christmas presents had been stolen after a social media appeal.
Dog walker Su Armitage found the gifts and cards on the Coppice just hours after they had been stolen in a burglary on Lime Road in Accrington.
Su posted pictures of the presents on Facebook and the post, which was shared more than 150 times, was quickly seen by the victim’s niece.
The burglary victim, who asked not to be identified, only found out she had been burgled after the relative spotted the appeal and recognised the presents.
She told the Observer: “They stole the presents and some cash. I was shocked. The house was ransacked.
“It was very good that the [Facebook appeal] worked. If I had come home and found it myself then it would have been worse.
“We presumed it was my house and when we got here we realised it was.
“We will have to see what state they are in. I don’t know if they are any good at all. I think some things have been smashed.
“I’m waiting to hear from the police with regards to what they have managed to find. I have not got anything back yet.”
She added: “They were presents which had already been wrapped and were for somebody else. I was given them to pass on.
“All my presents were still waiting to be wrapped and they hadn’t touched any of them.”
Su, from Accrington, was walking back down the Coppice with her two dogs when she saw the presents dumped near some trees.
She said: “When I came back down I saw a couple of sparkly gift bags.
“They had gone into the trees to open everything. There were presents and cards thrown around. It was raining and dark.
“I put everything in a couple of bags and was going to take it down to the police station on Broadway but it closed at 8pm.
“I think if there was anything expensive in the presents then it could have gone.”
Lancashire Police said the incident happened between 4pm and 9.50pm on Tuesday, December 19.
A spokesperson said: “We were called to reports of a burglary on Lime Road. Unknown offenders gained access to the property by smashing the glass in the patio doors. Once inside they went upstairs and took three bags of presents left on the landing and some jewellery and cash.”
No arrests have been made and an investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information call police on 101 quoting crime reference number ED1721423.