Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Burglars carve hole in door before £7,000 theft
A BRISTOL family has been left ‘petrified’ after discovering their home had been burgled of more than £7,000 of possessions while they were on the school run on Thursday morning.
Aaron Barnes, who lives with his family on Northcote Road in Downend, said while his partner was out on a school run a silver van pulled up outside their home.
The father of one said neighbours heard power tools but assumed it was work being carried out on a nearby home.
But when his partner returned home 20 minutes later, she was shocked to find a large hole carved out of their front door.
“They took stuff that I am never going to get back,” he said. “My son’s first tooth, his hospital wrist band from when he was born and some personalised jewellery I had made from his footprint.
“It’s just disgusting what they’ve done.”
Having lived in the area for four years the family said they had always felt safe but since the ordeal Mr Barnes’s partner is afraid to leave the home.
“She is petrified,” he added. “She doesn’t want to do a school run and she wants family members around her all the time.”
The 37-year-old said he believed the culprits knew the family as only one room was ransacked and around £7,000 of belongings were stolen including jewellery, cash and the sentimental items kept inside a box.
“They knew where they were going and I’m worried about my family,” he added.
A spokesperson from Avon and Somerset Police said: “We were called to a property in Northcote Road, Downend, South Gloucestershire, at 9am by a woman who had arrived home to find her house had been broken into.
“Officers secured and searched the property. Upon further investigation, it was discovered the offender had taken various pieces of jewellery and a large quantity of cash.”