Children’s Christmas ruined after burglars steal every present in their home

A family’s Christmas presents have all been stolen by burglars who also swiped medicine, cash, jewellery and lateral flow tests.

Nottinghamshire Police said the victims had been left “utterly devastated” by the incident, in which two men ransacked their house in Worksop in the early hours of Tuesday, taking presents that had been wrapped and put into bags ready to be placed under the Christmas tree.

In a plea for information from witnesses, Samantha Headland described how her two children, aged 11 and 12, had been left in tears and scared in their own home.

In a statement released through police, Ms Headland, 36, said: “How could they ruin our Christmas for our kids and invade our home like this?

“Even the Grinch stole Christmas but at least he brought it back. I’m not bothered if I don’t get any presents, it’s just my kids that matter.

“It’s so heartbreaking and it’s more the fact that they’ve stolen the children’s presents and now they don’t have anything to open.

“That’s what makes me more upset.

“You can replace presents but you can’t replace the surprises and the children opening the presents.

“It’s all about the kids and I go mad at Christmas for all the decorations and have even decorated the bathroom.

“The kids have been crying and have been really quiet and keep getting upset and were scared and stayed up later with me.”

Ms Headland said boxes of sweets and Christmas chocolate on the coffee table had been eaten by the burglars.

She added: “I got up to go to the toilet at around 2.50am and heard whispering and thought it was my children up.

“I said hello and heard someone knocking about and bumping into things and after saying hello I just heard them swear and then two people ran by the bottom of the stairs out the back.

“I then went immediately into my kids’ room thinking all sorts of things.

“I called the police straight away and the operator stayed on the phone with me the whole time, she was amazing, and the officers got to my house so quickly.

“The burglars had searched the downstairs and upstairs spare room and were busy in the living room when I disturbed them.

“They’ve taken all the Christmas presents – they’ve taken every single one of them.

“We never put the presents under the tree either until Christmas Eve evening, when the kids have gone to bed, so they can wake up in the morning and see them all there.

“Downstairs, everything was open and messed up and in the dining room they had taken my Samsung watch, emptied my handbag and taken £50 and also taken my rings that I leave in a box.”

Lateral flow tests intended for use when the children return to school had also been taken, along with alcohol.

Superintendent Kevin Broadhead said: “These children have been left without any presents to open on Christmas Day after their parents worked so hard to buy them and carefully wrapped them ready to surprise them on Christmas Day.

“No child should be without presents to open on the most special and festive day of the year and for this to happen so close to Christmas, it’s incredibly sad.

“Our officers are working hard to conduct a number of inquiries into this incident, and we are urging anyone who may have any information to come forward to help us with our inquiries.”