ENCINITAS (NEWS 8) – An Encinitas family is devastated after losing precious heirlooms during a home break-in last August.
Nearly $150,000 worth of jewelry and other items were stolen, and now the family said they will do anything, including paying a reward, to have their heirlooms returned.
Months may have passed since the family’s burglary, but they are still feeling the pain. The 80-year-old matriarch battling cancer is devastated after thieves broke in their home through a window and ran off with all their valuables.
The incident took place Friday, August 4, 2017, while Sunana took her mother, Nirmal, to cancer treatment and came back to ransacked home.
“You think that you live in Encinitas, it’s a very safe neighborhood. Nothing like this has ever happened in our neighborhood that we know of,” said Sunana.
While every room was ravaged, her mother took the biggest hit. The thieves took Sunana’s mother’s jewelry she had had since her 1961 wedding day.
The family’s heirlooms had been specially made for them in India and they included custom made diamond rings and beautiful bracelets.
Detectives said they have checked pawn shops, but nothing has shown up.
The family valuables had always been kept in a safety deposit until the mother took them home in order to give them to her grandchildren for her 80th birthday.
“She is suffering from cancer. Her though was that ‘I want to give all of my grandchildren and children pieces of me,’” said Sunana.
The family a reward of $5,000 and have installed an alarm, but detectives in Encinitas need the public’s help to crack the case.
If you have information about this crime, call the North Coastal Sheriff's Station at (760) 966-3500 or CrimeStoppers tip line at (888) 580-8477.