A FAMILY are distraught after burglars targeted them as they were moving house.

More than £10,000 of jewellery, electrical items and documents were stolen from the family’s safe, in Gainsborough Drive, Westcliff, as they went to pick up the keys for their new home.

CCTV on a nearby shop shows two suspects come out of their house, before walking in the direction of Priory Park. Ten minutes later, they returned with two more men to finish the raid.

Jewellery of sentimental value has been stolen as well as thousands of pounds of other items, leaving the family heartbroken.

The 49-year-old homeowner, who asked not to be named, said: “It’s horrific. You couldn’t make it up. Of all the times to burgle us – one of the most stressful times of your life.”

Irreplaceable jewellery which belonged to the victim’s late mother-in-law, was taken as well as a diamond and sapphire ring, laptops, iPhones, a Kindle, passports and banking documents.

The victim also had a charm bracelet stolen, which her husband had added to for every year of their marriage.

She said: “It is all worth more than £10,000, but you can’t put a price on the sentimental items. I don’t think I will ever see them again. I feel numb. Anger doesn’t describe it and upset is an inadequate word to describe it.

“When we came back and realised what had happened, we just stood there thinking ‘what?’ “It’s an invasion of privacy and we couldn’t get out quick enough.

“We were so happy to move in to our newhouse. We thought finally we are having better luck. My mother and my husband’s mother have just passed away and this was a new start and we were so looking forward to it.

“At the end of the day, it’s material stuff and we are safe, but I want to catch these people. They can’t do this to someone else.”

It is believed the crooks got into the house by placing a wire through the letterbox.

CCTV is due to be released within the next few days.

Anyone with information about the raid, which took place at 11.20am last Friday, March 6, can call Essex Police on 101.