Two burglaries within three months have devastated a Manor Lakes family.
The family home of Jess McGennan and her husband, Jerry Peart, was first broken into in July, with mobile phones belonging to Mr Peart and his son stolen.
Police attended the house to investigate, but the offenders have never been found.
The family’s home was burgled again on September 4, with their car – containing their youngest daughter’s car seat, clothing and shoes – stolen.
A laptop, on which many photos of their children were stored, was also taken. Ms McGennan and Mr Peart have a two-year-old daughter, a son aged 12 and a daughter, 10.
Ms McGennan was shocked by the brazenness of the break-in.
“The fact that some strangers were inside our house only a wall away from our children, while we slept without a clue, absolutely killed me,” Ms McGennan said.
Mr Peart was grateful his family was unaware what had taken place.
“I could only thank the world that they were OK, that they were just as oblivious as us when it happened,” Mr Peart said.
After the break-in, Ms McGennan posted photos of the stolen car on several Wyndham-based Facebook pages, asking people to keep an eye out for the vehicle.
After seeing the photos, a woman spotted the car and called police. Officers pursued a vehicle that crashed into a Tarneit front yard.
Ms McGennan and Mr Peart said they wanted Wyndham residents to know they should be vigilant about home security.
“The world isn’t what it used to be,” Ms McGennan said.
“As much as it feels terrible to have to have your house turned into a lock-down fort, it’s what’s safer for you.”
Aggravated burglaries across Wyndham hit a five-year high in the 12 months to March 31 this year, with 164 burglaries recorded in the area, compared to 101 in the previous year.
Non-aggravated burglaries were down 8.4 per cent from 1817 to 1664 incidents.
Anyone who has seen a white Toshiba Satellite laptop, from about 2010, or a grey Safe and Sound children’s car seat, is being asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
According to police, a 14-year-old boy from Wyndham Vale, a 15-year-old boy from Brookfield and a 16-year-old boy from Werribee have been arrested and charged with burglary, theft of a motor car and associated traffic offences.
