Doncaster residents urged to hide car keys as theft trend continues

A Doncaster family is urging residents to lock up and hide their car keys in the wake of them falling victim to a disturbing trend.

Sarah Reilly and her husband Damon had both cars stolen during a break-in at their Cantley home.

Thieves broke in through the back door and made straight for the mantelpiece.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

They grabbed the keys and then made off with the cars - a Ford Tourneo and Volkswagen Passat - in the early hours of the morning in late February.

The Reillys discovered the break-in the next morning.

Mrs Reilly, 36, was in the middle of the morning rush - the couple has five children - when she looked out the window to find both vehicles gone.

Mrs Reilly said she was lucky - the Tourneo will be back with the couple at the end of this week.

It was found at Sykehouse, with some special possessions of the family's inside.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The children's dancing costumes were in the back of the van when it was stolen.

"I had just locked everything in the van," Mrs Reilly said.

They had just returned that weekend from a competition in London. The children are members of the Celtic Rose School of Irish Dancing at Bessacarr.

Damon's Passat was found at Darfield, near Barnsley.

Some of his possessions were found at the side of the road before the vehicle was located.

Mrs Reilly said the Passat was a write off.

The family found little evidence of forced entry, just a broken lock on the conservatory door at the back of the Stretton Close home.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

They will install a sensor and put a lock on the door leading upstairs in the wake of the burglary.

Mrs Reilly urged people to re-evaluate the security on their houses.

She said their street, which was usually quiet, had been recently targeted.

"I've probably heard of three more [robberies] since," she said.

She didn't want others to have to go through the same ordeal.

"It's absolutely devastating," Mrs Reilly said.

Related topics: