A west Belfast pensioner who was robbed twice in her home in two days has asked for the public's help in tracing two items of sentimental value which were stolen from her home by the intruders.
Since being targeted on Monday and again in the early hours of Tuesday, Rosaleen Wilson has made the heartbreaking discovery that certain personal items were taken by those who targeted her Andersonstown home.
The 80-year-old told The Irish News that she has been left "devastated" by the dicoveries.
On Monday, Rosaleen, who suffers from the lung condition COPD and relies on oxygen, had gone for a lie down when a man entered her house at Bearnagh Drive at about 11am.
He stole her handbag and mobile phone. The bag contained cash, bank cards and gift vouchers.
Mrs Wilson’s daughter Colette O'Neill, who was in the kitchen, saw the intruder as he walked towards the living room and challenged him.
On chasing him from the house, the man escaped in a small grey or silver car towards the Andersonstown Road.
That evening the pensioner went to bed and fell asleep at about 1am. When she awoke on Tuesday morning, she found her bedroom had been ransacked.
CCTV has since shown two figures entering the home at about 4.20am. They stole money from Mrs Wilson’s purse and a necklace. It is suspected they used a spare key from the stolen bag
The great-grandmother has since made the heartbreaking discovery that a gold chain and pendant, which bears the hologram image of her deceased son, Paul had also been taken.
Paul was 34 years old when he died in 2000 from leukaemia.
Also taken was a gold locket, which had been given to Rosaleen by her husband, Joe, who died in 2008.
The locket had two photographs inside of Rosaleen and Joe, who were married for 46 years.
A box of jewellery which included a thick, gold wedding band, which had Rosaleen's birthday, December 8, 1941, in Roman numerals was also stolen.
A gold chain which had Rosaleen's name in Arabic on it and a pair of gold hooped earrings are also missing.
Rosaleen said she had been left heartbroken.
"I am just devastated," she said.
"We sat here squealing and cried and cried. I am more annoyed about Paul's pendant.
"The other day, I didn't know that this was all gone."
The pensioner asked whoever had the items, especially those associated with her deceased son and husband, to "please, please" give them back.
"They mean the world to me," she said.
She also thanked all those who had supported her in recent days.
"The neighbours have been in and out," she said.
"Everybody has sent flowers and boxes of chocolates. "
Mrs O'Neill echoed her mother's appeal and said she had "felt so close" to Paul through the pendant.
"She idolised him and talks to him every night. When that necklace would have come out, she would have been kissing it.
"The words are indescribable. I just feel like my stomach has been pulled away from me".
Colette added: "We just want them back. If anyone knows anything, come forward".
