CALLOUS thieves left an Ipswich schoolgirl heartbroken when they stole her treasured Christmas bike from under her family's nose.But it wasn't the first time the Blackett family's Christmas had been blighted – thieves had already stolen their front door wreath.

CALLOUS thieves left an Ipswich schoolgirl heartbroken when they stole her treasured Christmas bike from under her family's nose.

But it wasn't the first time the Blackett family's Christmas had been blighted – thieves had already stolen their front door wreath.

Eleven-year-old Loren Blackett, from Bramford Road, couldn't believe it when she went outside and found her beloved new BMX had been pinched.

Her father, Doug, said: "I am absolutely furious. What kind of monster would ruin a kid's Christmas by stealing a brand new bike. It's disgusting. It took a long time to save up for the bike. My daughter is devastated."

Loren, a pupil at Westbourne High School, said: "It was my favourite present this year.

"I was so happy when I saw it on Christmas Day. It is the first bike I have had for years. My friends all have bikes now I will have to stay behind."

Loren's mother, Claire, fears thieves deliberately targeted the home after seeing Loren riding her new bike on Christmas day.

Her mother Claire, said: "It must have been someone that knew Loren or saw her on the bike.

"Sometimes around here you feel under siege. Vandals recently smashed two pillars either side of the wall outside the house.

"I have had my car stolen and broken into. These days I am scared to go out at night. It's one thing after another and now this."

Thieves would have had to cross two back gardens in order to steal Loren's bike, which was parked outside between the kitchen wall and neighbour's fence, she added.

Mrs Blackett went on: "There have been repeated problems. A lot of kids congregate near the Bramford Road Methodist Church.

"We have complained to police and I reported it when the wall got knocked down but nothing seems to get done."

A police spokeswoman confirmed details of the criminal damage to the Blackett's front garden and the theft of the bike had been reported.

She said: "About £80 worth of damage was done to the wall and we the theft of the bike will be dealt with as soon as officers can attend to it."

All calls were treated in order of priority, she added.