A Melksham couple are ‘devastated’ after more than £10,000 worth of their family’s fishing equipment was stolen from their garden shed earlier this month.
amie and Emma Doolan had been at a work Christmas event and returned to their home in central Melksham to go to bed. Both are deaf and say they would not have heard anything during the night.
“The next morning, I went downstairs to make a cup of tea,” said Jamie. “When I looked out into the garden, my heart dropped. Our shed door was wide open. I rushed outside, panicking and what I saw made me feel sick.”
The family have a passion for fishing and travel across the UK and Europe. However, Jamie said the theft has taken away the family’s special way of connecting.
“Everything was gone. Every piece of our fishing equipment, including our children’s gear was all stolen. Over £10,000 worth of equipment, our family’s passion, our children’s joy all taken,” Jamie explained.
“We reported it to the police but the emotional impact has been huge. Our sons are heartbroken and cannot understand why someone would steal something so important to them. Fishing is a vital part of their wellbeing, especially for our autistic son, who finds peace and routine through it.”
Fundraiser
The couple have launched a fundraiser. Jamie said, “We are asking for help to rebuild what was lost so we can continue creating memories, supporting our children’s needs and keeping our family tradition alive.
“Any donation, big or small, means the world to us. Your support will help us replace the stolen fishing gear and bring back the joy and comfort that our family’s adventures used to give us. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
A spokesperson for Wiltshire Police said, “We are investigating following a report of a burglary of a shed from a property in Melksham, during which thousands of pounds worth of fishing equipment was stolen.
“The incident took place sometime between 9pm on December 4th and 9am on December 7th.
“Anyone with information is asked to contact us by emailing 70479@wiltshire.police.uk quoting reference 54250159853.”
To support the fundraiser visit https://shorturl.at/6HWus
Pictured: Emma and Jamie Doolan
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