Tanya Dewberry is hoping a $500 reward is enough to encourage the thieves of her family photo albums to return them.
The Langley Meadows woman has been prepping for a move to Brookswood and had household goods in a POD at the house.
On Saturday night, someone broke in. The tears came when she realized what was taken.
“My hope chest and my mom’s hope chest,†she explained.
Her hope chest contained about 40 photo albums, all the family photos, including irreplaceable ones of her deceased parents and other deceased relatives. They date back as far as the 1940s.
Dewberry’s hope chest, dating from the late 1980s, is carved with peacocks and flowers. Her mother’s is much older, having been obtained secondhand in the 1960s. Both are cedar lined and have Asian style designs.
She’s scoured the neighbourhood hoping the thieves realized they only had items of sentimental value.
Dewberry said she isn’t able to offer much for a reward but is hoping it’s enough to get the photos back.
Ironically, the thieves also made off with a safe which Dewberry had emptied before putting it in the POD.
“It must have weighed at least 250 pounds,†she said. “There must have been a few of them.â€
If anyone comes across several abandoned photo albums or the thieves have a change of heart, Dewberry’s possessions can be left at the nearest police station or community policing office.