A BALLARAT family’s worst nightmare came true yesterday when they woke to find that burglars had been through the house in the early hours of the morning.
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Jo Kroussoratis woke at 4.30am to a loud noise at the back of the Lake Wendouree house near where two of her three children Jordan,7, and Ryan, 5, slept.
Seventh-month-old baby Harry was in the front of the house near his parents.
“I heard a loud, big bang. It woke me up,” Ms Kroussoratis said. “I looked outside and our dog Max was up the front on the nature strip and all the security lights were turned on.”
Ms Kroussoratis woke her husband, Justin, and ran outside and around the house only to discover the side door was wide open.
“I called triple zero,” she said. “I didn’t even know if they were still in the house.”
Meanwhile, Mr Kroussoratis ran outside to scour the lanes around the house, and even jumped into the car to look for the thieves, but had no luck.
“We hadn’t locked the back door but the dog sleeps just inside,” he said.
“The thieves weren’t scared of the dog and came in.”
“The thieves had been in the alcohol cupboard, rummaging around the pantry,” Ms Kroussoratis said.
“They took my handbag, Justin’s wallet, $600 in cash and about $200 in gold coins from the children’s money pot.”
The thieves also took off with Ryan’s Honda CRF 50 bike, a Christmas and birthday gift for the five-year-old.
“It was my favourite,” Ryan said. “I would like to have it back.”
Mr Kroussoratis offered a $1000 reward to anyone who would return the stolen items to his family.
Ms Kroussoratis said the scariest part was knowing that someone had been in the house while the family slept
“It is a horrible feeling,” she said. “I hate to think what would have happened if our son had gotten up.”
If anyone has any information please ring Ballarat police on 5536 6000 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.