Couple 'heartbroken' after priceless sentimental items belonging to late family members taken in Eaton Bray burglary

A couple has been left heartbroken after burglars stole sentimental items belonging to late family members and allegedly attacked their three dogs.

The priceless mementoes were taken when Nicky and Steve Spurr’s Eaton Bray home was burgled on March 17 – and neighbours claim that they heard the couple's terriers yelping as if they were being hit by the intruders.

Nicky, 62, said: "It's horrible, horrible. I just don't want to stay here anymore. When we arrived home the dogs were howling, crawling on their belly, sniffing everywhere and they had wet the floor.

"The burglars had stolen my daughter's earrings, a locket with her hair in, my brother's watch, family jewellery, a casket which contained my mum’s costume jewellery, and a cassette recording of my dad's voice."

Nicky's family members are no longer alive, and the couple were devastated to find their bedroom "ransacked" and the precious keepsakes gone. Several of the items had been stored in a safe, which the burglars had made off with.

Nicky added: "I don't know what right people have got, that they can come and take people's things. They were priceless. I've lost it all now."

Nicky and Steve, who live down The Comp, were both out on the morning of March 17, when Nicky received an urgent call from her landlord, who was outside a nearby annexe, and had spotted an intruder in their home.

She claimed: "He was looking up at our bedroom window and saw a man inside, wearing a black mask and black clothes. [But the man spotted him] and shouted to whoever else was inside to 'get back!'

"He [the landlord] went into the annexe to ring the police, but he heard a car speed off down the main road, and the tyres screech."

The burglars had entered the house via its french doors, smashing one of the windows.

Nicky said a metal pole, which didn't belong to her family, was also found in the house after the burglars left.

The family checked over their three terrier crosses – Buster, Biddy, and Pip – and say the pets are unharmed apart from being shaken, and "skittish" at the slightest noise.

Warning the public, Nicky added: "If you can, camera your house up to the hilt, and be cautious about who's around.

"We were burgled twice before when we lived in Round Green in Luton. It's just horrible. And I dread to think what would have happened this time if our grandson had been in the house."

A Bedfordshire Police spokesman said: "We can confirm that we received a report of a burglary on March 17 at approximately 10.45am, at a property in The Comp, Eaton Bray.

"It is believed three men entered the property, where they stole a number of items including high value jewellery. Officers attended and an investigation is ongoing.”

Anyone with any information is asked to call 101, or report online and quote reference 40/14468/23.