Lack Main Street was the scene of the robbery
A HEARTLESS robbery has deprived a mother of ‘priceless’ memories of a daughter killed in a tragic car accident 12 years ago.
On the eve of Christmas the Evans family has been left devastated after jewellery belonging to deceased daughter Sharon was stolen from their Lack home yesterday afternoon.
The robbery is the latest blow in a horrific year for elderly couple Geordie and Bella Evans who buried their daughter Hazel Frazer in September and lost Sharon to a tragic car accident back in 2001.
The thieves made off with jewellery, possessions, a sum of money and ransacked the Evans family home on Main Street.
Speaking to the Herald their son David explained how his mother had been left distraught at losing jewellery which had inestimable value.
“My sister Sharon died in a car crash in 2001 and my mother kept a jewellery box of hers and it was completely cleared out.
“That was the last thing my mother had of her daughter, they even took the bag she received back from the morgue containing jewellery from the crash taken from her body.
“My mother has had a wild year having just buried another daughter and is just devastated, while the house has just been ransacked.
“It brings up a lot of horrific memories from the past, we don’t keep clothes, but there were pieces of jewellery my mother and her husband had bought for her.
“She buried a daughter in September and now this, you think where is it going to end?”
David admits he has been left angry at the ‘spineless’ actions of the thieves, but appealed to the hearts of the perpetrators for the return of the jewellery.
“We don’t really care about all of the possessions they took out of the house, but if they could just return the jewellery that would be enough. We appeal to the hearts of the criminals themselves. If they could find a place in their hearts and could contact us, or leave it somewhere and contact someone so we could collect it that would mean the world. It is the last thing my mother has of her daughter, I know she has photographs, but she always said when she kept Sharon’s jewellery in the bed side locker her daughter was always close to her.”
Local UUP councillor Raymond Farrell said it was distressing that elderly people in the safety of their own home were being targeted by thieves.
“For people to intrude in someone’s home, to ravage and go through their personal belongings is absolutely disgusting and I would appeal to anyone with information on the vehicle involved to pass it on to police.
Fellow UUP councillor Rosemary Barton, who called in with the family told the Herald of their heartbreak.
“I deplore utterly the despicable deed of these mindless thugs who have brought further heartbreak to the Evans Family, who are a well-known and respected family in the Lack area and contribute much to the local community.
“This family has suffered much through personal tragedy over the years including the present one. They were preparing for what was already going to be a difficult Christmas, whilst looking forward to a hopefully brighter 2014, only to have this shattered by thugs who had the audacity to break into their home in Lack during the hours of daylight.
“It is particularly heart-breaking hat all the much treasured jewellery belonging to Mr and Mrs Evans’s late daughter Sharon was stolen, and the sentimental value of this to the family can never be replaced.”
Councillor Barton continued:
“I would appeal to anyone who may have any information about this robbery or who saw a vehicle acting suspiciously in the area, to please contact the PSNI before these criminals commit further crime and bring more misery and heartache to the community.”
Police would ask anyone who may have witnessed this incident, or who has any information to contact detectives on 0845 600 8000.
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