Burglars ransacked an Ipswich family’s home while they were on holiday in Mallorca – killing their pet dog in the process.
Patrick Heffer, 48, had only just arrived in Magaluf with his daughter Shannon and partner Lavinia Dodds when a friend who was looking after the family’s three Pomeranians raised the alarm.
The friend had left Patrick’s home in Norwich Road for just over an hour on Friday night but arrived back to find ten-year-old dog Jenson dead on the floor.
Police, who are investigating the raid, believe Jenson was killed when a gnome-type garden ornament in the shape of an animal were thrown through the window to break in.
Jewellery and a suede designer handbag were later stolen from inside.
Speaking to the Star this morning, Patrick said: “We are so upset and just devastated at losing Jenson.
“It’s a horrible thing to be burgled but having a dog killed makes it so much worse.
“We’ve had him for ten years – he’s part of a family, his mother is our eldest dog Bear and his sister is Bell.
He added: “We were on the first flight home when we heard costing us hundreds of pounds but we had to find out what happened to Jenson and why.
“He’s got the heart of a lion and would have been barking at their heels so I’m not entirely sure he was killed by the ornaments, which were garden gnome-type concrete animals.”
Patrick, who works at The Waterfront Diner in Bramford, said the burglars also let his two other dogs Bell and Bear out of the door.
But his friend managed to track them down in the neighbour’s garden.
His partner’s handbag – which he believes could be worth more than £400 – and sentimental jewellery were stolen.
Now he and his family are urging people to come forward.
The 48-year-old added: “We want to appeal for information and see if anyone can come forward and tell us and the police what they saw.
“The handbag is worth a lot of money and the jewellery means a lot to us and we would like to have it back.
“But the main thing is obviously that our dog has been killed and we want to find the people who are responsible.
“What kind of a person leaves a dog lying dead on the floor and steals so many things? It makes me so angry.”
Detectives believe the burglars struck the property, near the Springfield Lane junction, between 8.30pm and 10.30pm on Friday.
Witnesses and anyone with information should call Suffolk Constabulary on 101 quoting crime reference 50081/17.
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