Vancouver man devastated after irreplaceable keepsakes from late wife stolen during break-in

This photo, submitted by the Roberts family, was taken before wife and mom Megan died from cancer in 2021.

It’s been an overwhelmingly tough few years Craig Roberts and his two adolescent daughters. In 2021, Megan – Craig's wife and the mother of his two adolescent daughters – died from cancer.

Knowing she wouldn’t be there for future milestones and moments, Megan penned handwritten letters to her girls and husband and attached them to presents so they would remember her on special occasions.

Many of those gifts have now been opened by the Roberts family, but the ones that were still being saved are now gone after their home was broken into while they were out of town over the weekend.

A suspect was caught on the family’s surveillance camera, apparently looking at Amazon packages on the front porch, before breaking into the home.

Craig got an alert on his cell phone informing him that the motion detectors went off inside his house.

“This is the crazy part, they were upstairs for over three hours,” said Craig.

He called some of his neighbours who went to go check things out, with one deciding to knock on the door. Surveillance footage shows the suspect, already inside, answering the door apparently cool and calm, saying the family would be home soon.

Moments later the suspect fled the home, taking off with a number of the family's possessions before police arrived.

While the Roberts family is still tallying up all that was lost, most items can and will be replaced.

But those unopened gifts, with the handwritten letters attached are gone.

“These were the last presents we had that he took,” Craig told CTV News.

Some of the notes were left crumpled up and tossed aside.

"This was my antique ring from granny xoxo Mom," one of them read.

Most of the sentimental items stolen don’t have a large monetary value but to the Roberts’ they are priceless and irreplaceable.

They include several necklaces, bracelets and rings gifted to the girls, along with the couple’s wedding bands.

The thief also went into a nightstand drawer and stole all of Megan’s old school ID cards – an invaluable keepsake according to Craig.

Police are investigating but at this time there is no suspect.

“It’s heartbreaking, it’s extremely upsetting to hear stories like this,” said Sgt Steve Addison with the Vancouver Police Department. “We want to do whatever can to solve this crime and find this person responsible.”

Addison is urging the thief to come forward.

"Have a heart. Do the right thing,” he said.

While the Roberts' family sense of security is shaken, all they want is to have the priceless items returned -- no questions asked.

If you have any information you are asked to call police or Crime Stoppers. You can also reach out to the family at: [e-mail]