Community / Family’s mourning ‘violated’ after thieves break into empty home days after funeral
A WOMAN whose brother recently passed away says her family’s “mourning has been violated” after thieves broke into his vacant home just days after his funeral.
Angela Burnett said a money box, stamps and potentially other items were stolen from the house on Haldane Burgess Crescent in Lerwick overnight on Tuesday after entry was gained by smashing a window.
It only came a few days after the funeral of her brother, who lived in the home.
Burnett and her mum came across the damage at lunchtime on Wednesday.
“They pushed a grey coal bunker under the side window and used a brick to smash it and entered,” she told Shetland News.
“They pulled things out and made a mess and left via the back door. To say we feel violated is an understatement.”
Burnett added: “I had to hold my 78-year-old mum up inside that property yesterday when we entered and seen what had happened.
“I sat outside on the steps of the property and cried.
“Our mourning has been violated – it’s a disgusting thing to break in to a deceased person’s home with no thought to how the family will feel.”
While the community has rallied around her after the incident, Burnett said it was an “all time low for Shetland”.
On Wednesday evening the police issued an appeal for information regarding the housebreaking.
Police are particularly interested to speak to any witnesses who might have seen anything suspicious on Tuesday evening.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Lerwick Police Station by calling 101 and quoting incident number NL/171/21.
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