Couple offer reward to find 90k of designer goods snatched from dressing room – Mirror.co.uk

David Thompson and husband Luis Gabriel were met with distressing scenes when they saw a room in their new home had been cleared out by burglars in Wythenshawe, Manchester

A couple has been left "absolutely devastated" after a group of burglars broke into their home and took around 90k worth of items.

The distraught pair are now offering a reward for anybody who can help them reclaim their stolen goods.

David Thompson, 35 and husband Luis Gabriel, 41, were met with distressing scenes when they saw a room upstairs in their new home in Wythenshawe, Manchester had been cleared out by a group of burglars.

Checking CCTV footage at their home, which has since been given to the Manchester Evening News, they saw people dressed in hoodies and wearing balaclavas jumping out of an upstairs window with heavy bags of designer goods.

The incident took place on the evening of January 20. The couple had only just moved and had not yet organised home insurance cover when the group of thieves struck.

David, the CEO of a social care company, said 'distinguishable' hoards of designer clothing and accessories were taken in the space of just 11 minutes, including Gucci and Burberry bags, Christian Louboutin shoes and a number of Rolex watches, some of which amounted to more than 9,000 each.

One of the wristwatches taken had been a personal gift to David from one of his friends who had passed away.

He said the ordeal has left him and his partner 'uncomfortable' in their own home, adding: "I had been out at work and my husband had been at the gym. We came back and just couldn't believe what we saw.

"Four people had broken into our home and taken around 90,000 worth of items that are really special to us. We work really hard for everything we have so it was just awful.

"They had jumped onto the flat roof of our dining room and smashed the window into our dressing room upstairs.

"It is scary thinking these people may have been watching our house to know when we weren't in.

"We were absolutely devastated and our dogs were shaken up too. We are so glad nothing bad happened to them, they are our family.

"We feel completely violated by this. Nobody should ever have to deal with somebody entering their space and stealing their belongings.

"Me and my husband have worked so hard for everything we own and all our possessions. Since this happened, we haven't been able to sleep or feel comfortable in our own house.

"We have only recently moved back to the country so were not insured. If we can't trace any of this back, it is a complete loss to us."

David said he was then encouraged by police to put appeals out on local social media groups to ask if anyone in the area knew anything.

Somebody anonymously came forward, sending David numerous messages and suggested an address that one of the culprits may have been living at who was selling off the goods.

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After calling the police, who also attended the address, last Saturday, David said he waited around the corner before seeing a male wearing his stolen jacket.

"Out of the corner of my eye I saw a man walking down the street in the exact same jacket that was stolen," he said.

"I couldn't believe I actually [saw] someone wearing something I own. I jumped out of my car and chased him down the street.

"I could not sit around doing nothing and am determined not to be a victim. I want to try and do all I can to help.

"I just needed to see for myself if the guy had any of my things. The police arrested him there and then as he tried to run away, it felt like a small victory.

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"We want to raise as much awareness as possible. Not just to see if anybody knows anything or has been sold anything in the area, but also to show that these kinds of criminals can't just go round breaking into people's homes and getting away with it.

"I have now been forced to even start posting reward posters online to offer reward money just to get my own items back."

A male, 51, who was arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods and burglary, has since been released on bail as police enquiries continue.

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: "Police were called shortly after 8.05pm on Thursday 20 January 2022 to a report of a burglary at a property on Ferndown Road, Wythenshawe.

"Enquiries have established that at around 6.10pm on Thursday, the offenders are believed to have entered the property through a window and later made off with a large quantity of high-value items.

"A man, aged 51, was subsequently arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods and burglary. He has been released on bail pending further enquiries.

"Enquiries are ongoing."

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Couple offer reward to find 90k of designer goods snatched from dressing room - Mirror.co.uk