Tamworth has $15,000 worth of jewellery stolen.
AN ELDERLY Tamworth woman is praying for the safe return of $15,000 worth of jewellery she believes was stolen from her home in the past week.
The 78-year-old woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said she felt ill after going to wear her favourite pair of earrings on Saturday night and realised they were missing.
It was then she noticed a jewellery wallet and two boxes containing rings, necklaces and strings of pearls were gone from her vanity table.
“It’s all gone. I’m still in shock,” the woman said.
She said, after taking the jewellery with her and her husband while on Christmas holidays, she had not put it in its usual hiding place when she returned. She called police after noticing the items were missing, but officers were unable to find an entry point, leading her to believe thieves had entered the Grant St home while she was there.
Fastidious about security, the woman said she never left a door or window unlocked.
“I’m sure someone has come into the house while I’ve been at home alone,” she said.
She said she believed she had disturbed the thieves one day, as nothing in the house was out of order and money had not been taken.
She said all she had remaining was the rings she wore on her fingers. One of the items stolen was her white-gold diamond engagement ring.
“It was given to me 55 years ago, with the date of our engagement – 8/8/57 – engraved on it by my husband. I’m sick to my stomach about it. You can’t ever replace sentimental value,” she said.
Among the other items were a string of pearls given to her by her brother, an emerald and diamond ring, a diamond eternity ring and a solid gold charm on a necklace.
“The necklace must be over 80 years old and it was passed on to me. I’m very upset about losing it. You read about this sort of thing happening to other people but never expected it would happen to us,” she said.
Police said the jewellery was believed to have gone missing between January 27 and February 2 and asked anyone with any information about the items to contact Tamworth Police Station.