A MOTHER-of-two has spoken of her horror after she discovered her home had been burgled while her family slept upstairs.
Lisa Sage, 36 of Cromhall, says she has been left 'feeling sick' after burglars broke into her family home overnight last Thursday while she and her three-year-old twin daughters, Sasha and Jazmine, were asleep.
"It just feels like a complete violation that someone else has been in my house while I'm in my bed," she said.
The Sage family's burglary is just one of a crime spree that has swept the Thornbury area this week.
In the space of six days Police have dealt with nine burglaries and five attempted burglaries in the Thornbury area.
Starting last Wednesday, July 9, at a property in Olveston, the crime wave has worked its away across the district to a property in Severn Beach in the early hours of Monday, July 14.
Properties have been targeted in Cromhall, Tytherington, Olveston, Pilning and Severn Beach.
Sgt Craig Ogborne, of Thornbury Police Station, said: "These burglaries have happened in a relatively short period of time and in an area that does not normally suffer from this type of crime."
Mrs Sage discovered her burglary Friday morning after being woken by a neighbour.
"I went down stairs into the kitchen and stuff was everywhere, they had gone through everything.
"It suddenly dawned on me about the girls so I ran back upstairs and checked on them and they were fine," she said.
Mrs Sage's husband, Steve, 36 and a printer, had been on a night shift when the burglary happened between 10pm, on Thursday, July 10, and 7.15am, on Friday, July 11.
The thieves managed to make off with a brand-new 50in Pioneer television worth £2,200, a Nintendo Games Console, Sky Digital Box, Satelite Navigation System and £300 cash.
Sgt Ogborne said: "We would ask residents to be vigilant at this time and to seriously think about their home security.
"Homeowners should make sure that all doors and windows are secure at night even in this warmer weather and if you have a house alarm make sure at least the ground floor is switched on at night to deter would-be thieves."
Other items stolen have included a shotgun from a property in Olveston, televisions, game consoles, laptops, Ipods, credit cards and a motorbike.
Police have said they are keen to trace a white Vauxhall Astra, with the registration number W389 OFS, that was seen in Severn Beach in the early hours of Monday morning.
"If anyone sees this car we would ask that they contact the Police as soon as possible," said Sgt Ogborne.
Anyone with information about any of the burglaries should contact Avon and Somerset Police on 0845 456 7000, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
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