These shocking pictures show how burglars ransacked every room in an elderly couple’s house when they had popped out for some groceries.
Kathleen Reid, 69, and her husband Keith, 72, were stunned when they returned home after an hour to find intruders had broken into their semi-detached home in Atherstone, in Warwickshire.
The thieves used a spade to smash in the couple’s patio door before rampaging through their house, hunting for valuables.
A £1,500 ruby and diamond engagement ring was stolen, as well as a pair of Tiffany earrings and an antique charm bracelet which had belonged to Mrs Reid’s late mother.
The devastated couple believed the thieves watched and waited for them to leave their three-bedroom property before breaking in around 11am on Friday January 5.
Mrs Reid, a retired carer, said: ‘It’s left me terrified, especially because we had locks on both the gate and back door.
‘We did everything we could to keep people out…and they still got in.’
A couple were devastated when they returned home to find their home in Warwickshire had been ransacked by thieves
Keith and Kathleen Reid said they had been left ‘totally violated and heartbroken’ and terrified to leave their home after the theft
The thieves used a spade to smash in the couple’s patio door before rampaging through their house, hunting for valuables
The grandmother-of-two added: ‘It’s horrific, every single room aside from the little bathroom has been completely ransacked.
‘We had only gone out to the town to very quickly get some groceries, and it was in the middle of the day, so the fact that they’ve been able to break in is inconceivable.
‘Keith and I think they must have earmarked our property and were waiting for us to go out.
‘It’s chilling to think they were watching us as we went out. They must have known they only had a short time. They must have broken in moments after we left.
‘I imagine that because we’re older people, they would have thought we’d have our items left out on counters and in drawers.
‘They really turned the place upside down. There were things that I didn’t even know that we had anymore that were strewn all over the place.
‘They were very clever because they didn’t take any electrical items which can obviously be traced.
The couple said they would now have to move out the property as they felt frightened about leaving their home
‘The only things that they took were jewellery, around £6,000 worth. It’s really hard to take, because these are the sorts of things that are priceless and irreplaceable.
‘I’m now terrified to ever leave the property, in case they or someone else breaks in again.
‘We’ve been living here for such a long portion of our lives – our children were raised here – and now we’re facing possibly having to move out.
‘I don’t want to do that, but it’s hard to imagine us staying here after this has happened to us.
‘We’re going to install alarms and look at what else we can get to stop there being a repeat, but the damage is more psychological than anything.
‘We feel totally violated, heartbroken and will never be the same again now this has happened, I am shaking like a leaf.’
The thieves smashed through the French windows in the property before ransacking the house
The couple had only popped to the shops for an hour but returned to find their house had been turned upside down by the thieves.
Describing that moment Mrs Reid said: ‘Our mouths dropped as everything was everywhere and I nearly had heart failure as I went upstairs as all the bedrooms had also been ransacked.
‘We only have a rough idea about what has been taken as we can’t touch anything until the police forensics have been in.
‘My Tiffany earrings given to me by my daughter from New York have gone and my mother’s charm bracelet full of sixpennies has also been taken.
‘These are irreplaceable and cost up to £6,000. The worst part about this for me is the damage they have caused and the mess they have made.’
Mr Reid, a retired engineer, added: ‘We feel totally vulnerable, it makes you think there is no point in locking anything up or away because these thieves will find a way through.
‘I just hope the police can find those responsible so it doesn’t happen to anybody else.’
The couple had £6,000 worth of jewellery taken from their house in Atherstone, Warwickshire
The couple’s courier son, Andrew, 47, said: ‘This is just shocking and I cannot believe it has happened.
‘You can’t trust anyone these days and it makes you think that people are watching you all the time as they were only out for an hour.
‘My mum and dad are devastated and have been in tears because of it.
‘I can’t say what I would say to those responsible. It has happened at the worst time just after Christmas.’
A spokesman for Warwickshire Police told MailOnline: ‘Police are continuing to investigate a burglary at a property in Lister Road, Atherstone, that was reported to have happened between 11am and 12.15pm on 5 January.
‘Several thousand pounds worth of jewellery is believed to have been taken and officers are continuing to appeal for anyone who witnessed suspicious activity in the area at the time, or anybody who has information, to call 101 and quote incident number 133 of 5 January.’