Bunnoe woman blames TV ads for burglary of her home

A total of 17 homes and premises have been burgled throughout the county over the past two weeks and a woman whose home was one of those targeted has laid the blame for the raid on TV ads offering people cash for gold. The distraught woman from the Bunnoe area, who did not wish to be named, told The Anglo-Celt she was convinced there had been an increase in the number of robberies on private homes since the adds have appeared on television. It came as no surprise to her to learn of the high number of burglaries in the county over the past two weeks. Speaking of her own experience she said she was still coming to term with the ordeal. "You never think it is going to happen to you and when it does, it is very upsetting." Her husband left their house in the Bunnoe area at 1.30pm on Tuesday, June 7, to collect her from work. They had a few things to do around Cavan town and didn't get back home until about 3.30pm. When they arrived the front door was open. Initially she thought her son was home and didn't pass any remarks about it. However, when they came in they found their son's clothes on the floor and all the presses were open; "It then dawned on us we had been burgled." Ransacked All the bedrooms were ransacked and in a mess. The intruders were in nearly every room. "Jewellery and cash as well as chequebook plus a large jar containing loose change were taken by the thieves." The only room they didn't go into was the living room, which had a computer and a camera, but they missed them, the woman added. On Wednesday she was in a state of shock and could not go to work. The next day she could not stop crying thinking of what happened. "A lot of the jewellery taken had a sentimental value for me and cannot be replaced." She had been collecting it over many years and treasured every piece she was given. Unfortunately the jewellery box was just sitting on a table in her bedroom. The family have been living in the area for the past 30 years and nothing like that had ever happened before but the woman was adamant the incident would not drive her and her family out. "I will not let them get the better of me," she claimed. A neighbour saw a silver car in the vicinity with four people in it. What was most annoying was the fact that strangers were in the house who were not invited. Any of the clothes they touched were disposed of straight away. They were put in bags and got rid off. "I just could not wear them again knowing they had handled them." The clothes were strewn all across the floor. What has happened has been tough and hard on the family just knowing that someone uninvited was in their home. It was a terrible ordeal but she could not let the thieves get on top of them, the woman stated. "This is our home and we will not be intimidated by this." Gardaí have informed her that the thieves may have been disturbed by the postman and they left the dinning room window open to make their escape. The family had to get a locksmith in to fix the door as they could not close it following the burglary. Gardaí from Bailieboro are investigating the burglary.