Wigan family devastated after heirlooms taken and home ransacked by callous thieves

Liz Saunders is hoping that officers can track down two men who broke in while she took her elderly husband to the dentist.

Other news: Wigan mum's bid to raise £70,000 for life-changing surgery for her six-year-old daughterThe 57-year-old, who cares for disabled daughter Toni and spouse Neil who has dementia, had only left the house for an hour on Thursday when the burglars struck.

Liz, of Lodge Road, Orrell said: “I think we they were hanging about to see if we went out. I’m just so glad that Neil was with me not home alone and that Toni was on respite so that they weren’t there when it happened.”

The thieves, whom Liz believes were in the house when she arrived home, took hundreds of pounds worth of items including cameras, watches and necklaces as well as priceless jewellery left to her by her grandma and her wedding rings which she took off while she is on medication.

Before leaving through the back of the house the men broke into Toni’s bedroom, who has learning difficulties, emptying her jewellery box out. One neighbour reported seeing the pair high-five before throwing an empty jewellery holder into the water park.

“I have nothing left of my mum’s and my grandma’s,” Liz added. “My grandma gave me her engagement ring because I never had one. They took my wedding ring, which I have had for 40 years and another one that Neil bought me when that got too tight.

“They took the laptop that I use to do Toni’s personal budget. She’s really into her gadgets and they had moved two of her tablets but I think they left them in the house in a hurry. I’m so glad they didn’t take them, it would have been a nightmare. I was so glad she was on respite for a few days so I could get things cleared up a bit.

“She has what people would class as autism and can have some challenging behaviours.”

Liz, who runs a local disability group in her spare time, said that she thinks police stand a good chance of catching the perpetrators due to the evidence left behind and eye witness accounts.

One of the men is believed to be around 5ft 8ins, of skinny build and with dark, closely shaven hair. He was wearing dark trousers, a dark T-shirt and a purple and grey rucksack.

The other was described at 5ft 4ins, of skinny build with dark trousers and a scruffy jumper.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police quoting number 2257 of 15/08/19.