Kids left heartbroken and scared in own home after burglars stole Christmas presents in Worksop

A family from Worksop has been left utterly devastated after two men broke into and ransacked their house – stealing every single one of their Christmas presents.

The presents, which had been wrapped and put into bags ready to be placed under the tree on Christmas Eve and gifted to family and friends, were all taken after burglars broke into a family’s home in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Samantha, 36, and a full-time mum, said: "How could they ruin our Christmas for our kids and invade our home like this? Even the Grinch stole Christmas but at least he brought it back. I’m not bothered if I don’t get any presents it’s just my kids that matter.

"It’s so heartbreaking and it’s more the fact that they’ve stolen the children’s presents and now they don’t have anything to open. That’s what makes me more upset."

The family’s children, aged 11 and 12-years-old, have been left in tears and scared in their own home.

Samantha explained how the family also had boxes of sweets and Christmas chocolate on the coffee table which had also been eaten, she believes, as they were being burgled.

“I got up to go to the toilet at around 2.50am and heard whispering and thought it was my children up. I knew it wasn’t my fiancé as he was working nights so it was just me and my children at home.

“I said hello and heard someone knocking about and bumping into things and after saying hello I just heard them swear and then two people ran by the bottom of the stairs out the back.

“I then went immediately into my kid's room thinking all sorts of things."

She called the police straight away and the operator stayed on the phone to her until officers arrived.

“The burglars had searched the downstairs and upstairs spare room and were busy in the living room when I disturbed them", she said.

“They’d unplugged the virtual reality headset and moved all the gaming disks but hadn’t got much from that room but I’m pretty sure they would have if I hadn’t woken up.

“Downstairs everything was open and messed up and in the dining room they had taken my Samsung watch, emptied my handbag and taken £50 and also taken my rings that I leave in a box.

“I keep thinking it’s my fault, but I struggle with my health and I’m on medication for pain and it’s easier to leave my rings in a box downstairs."

They had also taken Samantha's pain medication, two Samsung tablets and two boxes of lateral flow test, which the children had brought home ready to go back to school in the new year.

“It’s just shocking what’s happened and what they’ve done. It’s all so upsetting, and I go past the spare room and keep looking in but have to walk past – it’s all so fresh and raw.”

Officers are now urging anyone who may have heard anything or has any information to come forward to help them with their investigation.