Precious family videos taken by opportunist burglar in Newtown

Newtown resident Jonathan Underhill is appealing to the burglar who broke into his home last week – please return our precious family videos.

The videos, contained on mini digital tapes, were in a video camera bag taken from a Coromandel Street property – one of two houses on the street burgled within hours on a morning last week.

The thief took a laptop, an iPod and a small wooden box with a Wanganui presentation note on the bottom. The person also stole the video camera and a distinctive rectangular greenstone and silver brooch titled ‘quarter-acre paradise’.

But Mr Underhill and his partner Jane Shanahan are grieving most about the family tapes, which can’t be replaced and are of no value to the thief. They’re mostly videos of the kids growing up, including our time in Sydney and shots with their grandfather, who has since died.

“Mr Burglar, you may have been just hunting for some things you could quickly turn into cash – I can understand that even if it hits us in the wallet,” Mr Underhill said. “The family videos are precious to our family – they’re our family memories. Please find a way to return them.”

He said they could be put in an envelope and sent in the mail to 100 Coromandel Street, Newtown, or even pushed through the letterbox.

The brooch is also of sentimental value. “Even burglars have partners, wife or kids – have a heart,” Mr Underhill said.

The family has upgraded security on their house – more locks on widows and doors and security lights being repaired.

“Newtown is a cosmopolitan suburb and we like it for that – it is a shame when we have ton turn our homes into bank vaults,” Mr Underhill said.

He can be contacted on 027 466-0366 for any information that leads to the return of the family videos.

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