AN elderly Seaford couple is reeling after the theft of rare and valuable jewellery from their bedroom but pleased that Frankston police have managed to track much of it down.
A 30-year-old Frankston man – now in custody on a range of burglary, deception, car theft and criminal damage charges – allegedly stole the jewellery valued at more than $10,000 from the Moresby Av house on Tuesday 25 October.
The haul included a Pandora bracelet, gold watches, rings of various sorts, necklaces adorned with crosses and diamonds, rosary beads and a 110-year-old ruby ring given to the woman by her mother when she married 60 years ago.
“We can’t even put a price on much of it,” said the distressed owner, who did not want to be identified.
“And we still haven’t got much of the expensive jewellery back.”
The couple, in their late 70s, still hope an antique fob watch and a valuable set of black rosary beads, which the woman had blessed at Westminster Abbey will be returned.
“The jewellery is valuable but also has much sentimental value,” Detective Senior Constable Belinda Rampal, of Frankston CIU, said. “The couple are extremely distressed by their loss.”
Detective Rampal said the alleged thief was recognised from CCTV footage taken at another burglary and arrested at Seaford – with much of the missing jewellery in his possession.
In another aggravate burglary, on Friday 21 October, the same man is alleged to have used a jemmy bar to force open the back door of a Dunn Cr, Langwarrin house, 1.30am, where a woman, 30, and her two children were sleeping.
The woman’s handbag and car keys were stolen before the thief drove off in her red Holden Commodore and used stolen credit cards to buy food and drinks at a Karingal Hungry Jacks and a BP Express in Frankston.
Detective Rampal said the man also stole two non-matching number plates from parked cars which he attached to the front and rear of the car before joyriding on the Mornington Peninsula Freeway. He is alleged to have lost control and ploughed into a tree near Rutherford Rd and used a jerry can of petrol to set fire to the car.
The man was arrested in Warragul on Monday 24 October for being in possession of a stolen trailer and trespassing on private property. He was interviewed on these matters and for allegedly using stolen credit cards and thefts by deception, and released on bail.
Half an hour later, police allege the man stole a charity tin containing $54 from the Warragul McDonalds before driving back to Frankston on 25 October and robbing the elderly couple in Seaford.
Detective Rampal said that when the man was taken to Frankston police station he was further charged with the aggravated burglary of a Gladesville Av, Patterson Lakes house, where he allegedly got away with a PlayStation 3, Playstation4, Samsung Galaxy Tablet and three electric guitars – none of which have been recovered – about 4am, Wednesday 28 September.
The man will appear at Frankston Magistrates’ Court, 17 November, on three counts of aggravated burglary, theft of a charity tin, two counts of obtaining property by deception, two counts of theft of a motor car, criminal damage by arson, and driving while disqualified.
