Woman launches Facebook appeal to find thieves after catching men on camera during £100,000 raid

Distress: Vanessa Aaron lost her wedding ring in the raid on her home in Hendon
Tom Brooks-Pollock27 August 2015
WEST END FINAL

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Police want to speak to three men after a woman whose house was burgled posted pictures on Facebook of them lurking in her garden.

Vanessa Aaron, 42, lost her wedding ring, and designer jewellery passed down to her by her late mother, when her home in Hendon was raided.

Thieves entered every room before leaving with £100,000 of valuables including gold, diamonds and watches by Cartier, Omega and H Stern.

She also had to cancel a holiday in Marbella with husband Arnold, 38, after their passports were stolen.

The couple say a gang used a shopping trolley to wheel away a 60kg safe containing up to 200 pieces of jewellery.

Images of the suspects, who used a shopping trolley to move a 60kg safe

Some was inherited by Mrs Aaron from her mother who died of cancer, aged 68, in March last year.

On Facebook, Mrs Aaron posted CCTV pictures recorded by a camera set up in her neighbour’s home.

They show three men in her garden on the night of the burglary, Sunday, August 16.

The thieves apparently used a crowbar to prise out a kitchen window before climbing into the house at about 10.20pm.

The pictures show three men standing outside the window, before returning at about 1.30am.

Mrs Aaron, a former communications manager for Barnet council, said: “They knew when we went away. I think they had been watching us for some time and I get the impression that they live locally.

Three men seen walking down the Hendon Street where the burglary happened

“It gives me nightmares. I see the faces of those men in my dreams having seen them on CCTV. The items have huge sentimental value. I was reluctant to go public about this but it would mean so much to me to get them back.”

The couple – whose children are aged 11, nine, four and two — say they are “hugely worried” about identity fraud as their passports were stolen.

A police spokeswoman said: “Police were called to First Avenue, Hendon, on August 17 at approximately 6.20pm following a report of a burglary.

“The property had been left locked and secured on Sunday, 16 August at approximately 2pm.

“The occupants returned home after they were alerted by their cleaner that an unknown person had gained access. They returned to find a number of rooms ransacked. Jewellery and personal documents were taken.

“Barnet CID are investigating. No arrests have been made at this stage.”

Scotland Yard urged anyone with information about the men featured in footage should contact Barnet CID or ring 101.

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