Heartless

By Tania Martin
A KALORAMA grandmother is devastated after the wedding ring given to her by her late husband was stolen when her house was burgled.
Willie, who was reluctant to give her surname, is now appealing for the ring to be returned.
The ring was one of only a few sentimental items Willie had left after her husband, John, died eight years ago.
Willie’s house was broken into on Thursday, 10 May between 9.30am and 2.30pm.
Several valuable items, including a television and digital camera, were stolen, but it was the sentimental items that Willie is concerned about.
“Everything else is covered by insurance,” she said.
Willie said it was a huge shock seeing all her belongings thrown carelessly around the house.
“It was such a mess,” she said.
“They tipped drawers out and made a huge mess.”
After the initial shock of seeing her house ransacked, Willie was heartbroken to discover that a cigar box containing all her jewellery had been stolen. The box contained the ring, which John had given her at their marriage.
“There was also a brooch that John gave me for my 19th birthday,” she said.
“It was the first birthday we spent together as a couple. It was a rhinestone brooch. There was also some beads John bought me in Venice.
“The worst part is that you can’t replace those things and they wouldn’t bring a lot of money. They just mean so much to me because of their sentimental value.”
Willie said the worst thing about the robbery was that it would have been her 53rd wedding anniversary on Thursday, 24 May and to not have John or his wedding ring to remember their special day was just heartbreaking.
She is also angry that she now has to foot the bill for having a burglar alarm installed.
She says it will cost her $45 a month for the alarm and it makes her angry she now has to spend her money to feel safe in her own home.
And despite having the alarm installed, Willie is still scared that the burglars will strike again.
Willie says she lives a busy life with her commitments to choir, bushwalking and being a volunteer and it would have been easy for the robbers to watch and check her movements.
She said the house next door was also broken into but nothing was taken because no one was living there at the time.
Willie said it appears to have been a professional job because the police did not find any fingerprints.
“They came with a purpose – I think they were professionals – I don’t think they were druggies because they were too neat and knew what to take,” she said.
Willie is now appealing for the thieves, or anyone who may have seen the ring, to return it.
The ring can be returned to the Kalorama post office, 1209 Mt Dandenong Tourist Road.