Elderly Albany woman left struggling to sleep after ‘low-life’ burglars trash home while she is gardening

An 83-year-old Albany woman has been left struggling to sleep and suffering from anxiety after thieves ransacked her home and stole her late husband’s belongings while she was in her front garden. On the morning of April 16, Antonia spent about an hour gardening in her front yard, returning to her house to find she had been burgled, with drawers strewn across the floor and no room left untouched. The thieves had left muddy footprints throughout the home as they stole her late husband’s belongings, jewellery handed down from deceased family members, her purse, and cash. Antonia’s daughter, Eli Hayes, said her mother was still badly shaken by the brazen nature of the burglary. “Mum went out the front to do some gardening and left her back flyscreen door open for fresh air,” Ms Hayes said. “Mum is the strongest lady I know and this has deeply affected her. “For three days after the event she was cold and shaking, unable to think straight, not able to sleep, and very anxious. “Now over a week later she is still not sleeping well and still suffering badly with anxiety.” The burglary was reported to police, who took fingerprints and collected evidence, but are yet to lay charges. Antonia said she was shocked her house had been trashed and she would be investing in a security system. “I’ve been in my house 30 years and just because you have never been robbed doesn’t mean you won’t be,” she said. “If you are working outside, lock up, and the more people that invest a few hundred dollars in cameras the better.” Albany officer-in-charge Sen. Sgt Grant Pollard described those responsible for the crime as “low-life offenders”. “Albany police consider any offence committed on vulnerable, elderly or disabled people as an extreme act of callousness,” Sen. Sgt Pollard said. “An offence like this, but especially on the elderly, does have a huge impact on their wellbeing. “This is an extreme case of identifying a vulnerable person, being aware of their personal habits, and then conducting an intrusive offence such as this. “A person’s house is supposed to be sacrosanct, and then these people suffer because of someone else’s criminal and uncaring behaviour. “It does have a lasting impact on the victim and we make every endeavour to apprehend these low-life offenders.” Sen. Sgt Pollard said security matters had changed significantly in Antonia’s lifetime. “This particular incident highlights the necessity for people to be consistently vigilant with their security, and it’s an indictment of the times when you have to lock your door when you are in the front yard ... gardening,” he said. “Especially with the elderly that these people target, victims come from an era that they could leave their house open when they went up the road or leave their car unlocked with the handbag on the seat, and very rarely an offence would be committed. “In current times, any relaxation of personal security leaves the door open to these opportunistic offenders.”