An Ontario couple is devastated after someone broke into their house and stole jewelry, cash and a wedding band, while they were on vacation.
Wylda Rogers and her husband, Vern, were shocked when they returned to their Guelph, Ont. home, after a trip to Florida a week ago.
“We walked in the front door and everything we owned was plastered all over the floor,” she told CTV Kitchener. “Everything was just taken apart.”
Nearly every room in the house was cleaned out, including their safe. The couple said a wedding band, jewelry and money were among the items stolen.
The Rogers have lived in their home since the mid-1950s and never thought they’d get robbed.
“I've never had anything that bad happen all these years,” Rogers said.
“In the last few years, we've seen an increase in drug related property crime,” Guelph police Const. Trevor Byard told CTV Kitchener over the phone. “Generally, daytime break and enters are committed to residences, people's homes, because most people are at work during the day.”
Neighbour Vinnie Klimkosz said he’s seen suspicious people prowl around the neighborhood before. His shed was previously broken into. He said neighbours do their best to keep an eye out for each other.
Back in January, a break-and-enter and auto theft team was set up by the Guelph Police Service. Byard says the task force has seen results.
“We've executed a number of search warrants and we've seized a large amount of stolen property -- a lot of which we've returned to owners,” he said.
But Rogers is skeptical she will ever get her stolen items back.
“We'd sure like to know who did it but [we’ll] probably never find out.”
