ASIAN jewellery worth more than £50,000 was taken in a raid on a family’s home in Burnley.

Rahela Begum and her four children were visiting their grandmother’s house when thieves kicked in the back door and ransacked their bedrooms, in Clive Street.

The thieves searched all four bedrooms, emptying drawers and cupboards, and wrenching open a locked metal cabinet containing necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings. Mrs Begum, 33, said: “I’m too frightened to leave the house.

“Because they got in and out in less than half an hour, they must have targeted me. They could have followed me or watched me leave the house.

“I was always out and about before, but I don’t feel safe anymore. I used to let my daughter, Aneesa, who’s 13, stay in the house while I went out so she could do her homework but what if she’d been here when they did this?

“I mopped and tidied the house on the day we were burgled, but it doesn’t feel clean because they’ve been in here. They’ve been through all my things. I’m worried that they’re going to come back.

“I’ve lived here in Burnley all my life. I grew up here and I would never do anything like this to somebody. Neither would my brothers. It’s sick. It’s disgusting. I want the people who’ve done this to be brought to justice because I don’t want this to happen to anybody else. People feel intimidated on the streets already.”

One of the items stolen was a gold ring given to Mrs Begum by her husband Jakir Hussain, a chef at Nila restaurant in Rawtenstall, on their wedding night. It had the initial ‘J’ inside a heart.

A gold necklace with a pendant reading her daughter’s name ‘Aneesa’, which Mrs Begum bought for her on her first birthday, was also stolen during the raid last Tuesday, between 8pm and 8.30pm.

Mrs Begum said: “She’s very upset. She only ever wore it on special occasions like Eid. Most of my jewellery was the same. It was all gifts that I only wear occasionally and is very sentimental.”

Police are warning residents to be vigilant after similar jewellery thefts in Eastern Avenue, Burnley; Ronbury Close, Barrowford; and also Meredith Street and Beaufort Street in Nelson in recent weeks.

Coun Shah Hussain, who represents Stoneyholme, said: “There’s been a spate of burglaries in my ward recently. It’s a real concern for local people.”

PC Ryan Waddington from Burnley Police said: “This burglary has taken place in a predominantly Bengali population and I would urge anybody within the community who saw or heard anything suspicious on Tuesday night to contact police.

“Sadly, there have been similar offences committed in the area which is obviously of some concern to the local community.

“I would urge people to be vigilant and to report anybody they suspect to be involved to the police.”

Anyone with any information about the incident or the whereabouts of the jewellery should call police on 101.

  • Two men from Burnley, aged 18 and 19, arrested in connection with the incident have been released on bail.