Heartless thieves made off with a Rutherglen gran’s Christmas presents for her family – while she was hard at work in a care home.
The crime, described as “abhorrent” by Inspector Stephen McManus, also saw the burglars steal irreplaceable jewellery which belonged to the heartbroken victim’s late mum.
An online fundraiser has been set up to help salvage the woman’s Christmas.
The break-in occurred last Tuesday at a property on Gilmour Crescent.
Among the items stolen were Christmas gifts for her grandchildren, including popular LOL Surprise toys.
However, the most upsetting theft was her late mum’s jewellery.
The woman, who did not wish to be named, was only a child when her mum died and the jewellery was one of the few mementos she had.
Lucy Riddell, a family friend, has now set up a JustGiving to help the victim out.
She told the Reformer : “It’s horrible what happened. She’s really upset.
“Her mum passed away when she was young and it meant a lot to her to have them.
“She loves her grandkids and had wanted them to have nice presents.
“It looks like they broke into the bedroom and just snatched the presents as they were all bagged and ready to go. They’ve grabbed the jewellery and left the place in a complete mess.
“She works in a care home and it’s sick she’s out there helping others and people do that.”
Lucy hopes the appeal, which has raised £315 so far, can help buy replacement gifts and also repair the damage to her friend’s home.
Inspector Stephen McManus confirmed there had been a number of calls about the burglary.
He said: “The response to this abhorrent crime has been overwhelming, with a number of calls made to Crimestoppers providing vital information and we are following a positive line of enquiry.
“The impact of this crime, particularly leading up to Christmas cannot be understated and the reaction of the local community in providing support to the family as well as assisting the police perfectly highlights the key role we all play in keeping our communities safe.”
