A mother-of-three has revealed how she was burgled by her own cousin on Christmas Day.
Carina Loney, 39, was eating Christmas dinner with her family at her Lancashire home when Luke Kay, 36, snuck in and stole her purse, a phone charger and some tobacco.
The purse had been a birthday gift from Carina’s children just the day before.
Carina discovered her cousin had robbed her when she spoke to local shop keepers, who told her Kay had spent the money there.
Carina Loney, 39, was eating Christmas dinner when Luke Kay, 36, snuck in and stole her purse, a phone charger and some tobacco
Kay pleaded guilty to the burglary in October and he was handed a community order and fine
Kay pleaded guilty to burglary in October was handed a community order and fine.
Hair and beauty stylist, Carina says: ‘Luke and I were once so close. Our families went on holiday together and he lived at the top of our street. He is only two years younger than me, so we played together and had the same circle of friends.
‘As a teenager, he went off the rails and got into trouble with the police, but I always tried to help him because I felt sorry for him.
‘But to burgle my home on Christmas Day is unforgivable.
‘I spent Christmas Day night trawling the local neighbourhood and I managed to prove that Luke was the one who had stolen my purse.
‘I have forgiven him many times in the past, but not this time. He is the grinch who stole Christmas.
‘I’ve had to move house since the burglary. I just didn’t feel safe there any more. He completely ruined our Christmas.’
Carina and Luke had a close childhood; their mothers are sisters and they grew up together. But in his teens, Luke began getting into trouble.
Carina says: ‘For years I tried to help him. Sometimes when he stayed with me, I’d notice things missing, money mainly, but a mobile phone went missing too. I tried to reason with him. I always gave him another chance.’
But last October, after her lawnmower vanished – and turned up at Luke’s home – Carina decided enough was enough and banned him from her home.
Luke Kay with Carina’s daughter as a baby. He robbed Carina on Christmas Day as she enjoyed dinner with her children
She says: ‘I was so angry. I felt like he was just getting away with it time after time, because everyone felt sorry for him. I told him he was no longer welcome.’
On Christmas Day, as she prepared dinner for her mother Susan, and her three children, Porsha, 17, Kye, 13, and six year old Brennan, Luke knocked on her door again.
Carina says: ‘It was really hard turning him away on Christmas Day and it pulled at my heart strings. He told me he had no internet and he wanted to go on my Facebook to catch up with his family.
‘But I turned him away – I had to. I knew he was trouble.
‘I carried on peeling the vegetables and later, we ate dinner and I didn’t hear a thing.
‘It was only when I was washing up in the kitchen that I noticed my purse had gone. There was also tobacco and a phone charger missing.
Police also learned that Carina’s bank card had been used by Luke’s partner after the burglary
‘I looked everywhere.
‘I had turned 38 on Christmas Eve and the children had just bought the purse for me for my birthday. It was brand new.
‘At first, I thought I’d thrown it away with the potato peelings and I emptied the bin and searched right through the rubbish. Then, I looked through the whole house. But they had disappeared.’
Carina discovered her back door was open and realised that Luke must have been the culprit.
She says: ‘I couldn’t believe anyone could stoop so low but I was determined to find out the truth.
‘I had to take my youngest son, who is six, in the car with me, to Luke’s house. I confronted him but he denied it.
‘But I remembered that I had a Scottish £10 note in my purse and so I went to the local shops – and sure enough the shop keeper told me that Luke had been in, buying stuff with a Scottish £10.
‘He even knew Luke by name.
‘I was so angry that he had completely ruined our Christmas and I rang the police.’
Police also learned that Carina’s bank card had been used that same evening by Luke’s partner.
He was arrested and in October he pleaded guilty at Burnley Crown Court to the burglary and a separate offence of stealing cider from Bacup Convenience Store on December 25, 2018.
The court heard he has 21 convictions for 44 offences, including non-dwelling burglaries and thefts.
Recorder Neville Biddle sentenced Kay to a 12-month community order for the burglary offence with a 25-day rehabilitation activity requirement and 160 hours unpaid work.