WHEN the Waldren family returned to their Woodhatch home on the evening of July 9, it was not obvious they had become victims of a crime.
Their Lonesome Lane property seemed pretty much like they had left it, with no obvious signs of anything untoward.
Little did they know that in the hours before, their home was one of two within half a mile of each other to be targeted by burglars that night.
"I came in first and found all the upstairs room doors open," said Martin Waldren, 27.
"We keep them closed because of the cat.
"I saw my mum's jewellery on the bed and thought nothing of it.
"But then, when she came in she asked if I had been going through her jewellery box. So I went into my room and could see a fresh hand-print in the dust. I couldn't imagine anyone had been in there because you try not to think like that at first."
It was only when his mother, Jill, noticed items of her jewellery were missing and could not be found anywhere in the house, that the truth sank in.
But the scary realisation raised a new question – how had the thief got in?
Mr Waldren's father, Simon, 57, said: "There was no obvious sign of forced entry. We thought maybe the door had been left open when my sister-in-law came to let the cats out, but it was definitely double-locked."
Police forensic officers eventually found two small nicks on the front door frame, which they told the family implied a crowbar had been used to lever the door open.
"Even now I don't think I've accepted it," Mrs Waldren told the Mirror.
"It makes you wonder if they have been casing the joint."
Martin added: "This is a busy cut-through from Reigate to Horley. For someone to come in here, it's worrying. This is someone who knows what they're doing."
The burglars took gold jewellery and a pair of silver earrings, but the family say the emotional cost is more than the financial one.
"It is sentimental," Simon Waldren said. "You can never get it back.
"People have got to be vigilant for their neighbours, and make sure doors are double-locked."
The second break-in that night was in nearby Reeve Road. This was followed by two further break-ins in Reigate Road and Windermere Way, Reigate, the next day.
Neighbourhood Inspector Richard Haycock posted on Twitter that the two Woodhatch break-ins "may well" be linked, but could not say for sure.
