A Powys family who had their Christmas presents stolen by thieves are appealing for help from the public.
Seren Hollins moved to Middletown this year with her six children and has been happy in the street.
However, this changed after she came back from seeing one of her children at the local carol service last week.
“I had just gone to St Mary’s Church for the Carol Service,” said Seren.
“We had a lovely time, we were discussing with the vicar the christening of my little boy.
“We came back with friends. I came back in and went to hang the children’s coats up in the hall and realised I was crunching something under foot – it was glass.
“You’re in disbelief when you see something like that. I then realised that the bags had gone out of the hallway and I’d been broken into.
“I still couldn’t believe it when the police arrived and then you start realising what you have lost it all becomes quite surreal.”
Seren said that the break in, which took place sometime between 4.45pm and 7.45pm on Sunday, December 17, has left her and her family shaken.
“It has put a bit of a dampener on Christmas. I don’t feel safe in the house. I feel it at night, it’s meant a lot of late nights with the children because they are worried. I keep thinking ‘why have they targeted my house?’” said Seren.
“It’s just taken some of the shine off it. Instead of doing the things I would like to do, you’re back to the mad trying to get Christmas presents for the children, no one wants to be doing that.
“The fact that someone has been in your house as well. It’s an intrusion. It leaves it with a taint.”
OTHER NEWS:
- Agricultural community mourns death of famous Powys farmer Tom Evans
- Work begins to transform former Powys workhouse into low carbon homes
- Powys paramedic who denies causing causing serious injury to biker set for trial
Several items were stolen in the burglary including Christmas presents for the children as well as irreplaceable family heirlooms.
“They took handbags, my laptop. They took my daughters laptop, she’s autistic, so that has caused a major meltdown – just horrible, horrible people,” said Seren.
“They took three bags of Christmas presents. They were all kids toys, whoever took them knew it was kids stuff. We’re talking animated unicorns, magic mixes, Spiderman. You can tell it is for young children, that’s just not nice. It’s one thing to take a digital camera set in my hallway but kids toys is a different matter.”
“They’ve taken a couple of handbags one didn’t have a lot in it the other one is more like a vanity bag. It’s purple with a faint crocodile skin to it. It had baby changing things in it, it had a film camera in it – I’m a photography enthusiast, it’s an unusual vintage one, it’s from the 60 or 70s.
“There were some family photographs in there of my late grandmother, which I had been given by a relative. My wedding and engagement ring were in there because I had been out and my hands had got cold and I was worried I might lose my rings. My wedding ring was my grandmother’s ring.”
However for Seren whilst the Christmas presents that were lost are replaceable what has been most hurtful is the loss of more personal items.
“What upsets me is the sentimental things that have gone, I can’t get those back," she added.
“You just suddenly realise that all this stuff that you carry round, like most women’s handbags, mine was big and it had lots of silly things in it and bits and pieces no one else will want. All of that is probably going to be thrown in a hedge somewhere.
“My son who is three I have a wallet in there but in there we had a fingerprint mould done and that’s gone as well. I had been to my daughter’s school play and taken photos, for these people that’s of no consequence but for me those are memories I can’t get back.”
Dyfed-Powys Police are appealing for information about the burglary and have encouraged anyone who may be able to help to come forward.
This can be done either online at: https://bit.ly/DPPContactOnline, by emailing 101@dyfed-powys.police.uk, or by calling 101.
If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired text the non-emergency number on 07811 311 908.
Quote reference: 23001285254
Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555111, or visiting crimestoppers-uk.org.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here