A terrified pensioner from Eltham said she has "lost her faith in humanity" after reckless thieves ransacked her house earlier this month, stealing her and her late husband's wedding jewellery.

Eileen Harper, 84, who has been recovering from a broken hip in a nursing home following a nasty fall earlier this year, said she was "devastated" upon hearing that her home in Dunblane Road was burgled on November 30, with thieves making off with both her and her late husband's wedding rings, her engagement ring and approximately £200 in cash.

Speaking to News Shopper, Jane Andrews, who is Ms Harper's daughter, described the horrendous condition her mother's house was left in following the raid.

"They had ransacked the house. Every drawer had been turned over and not a single item of jewellery was left in the house," she said.

 

She went on to tell of how the downstairs TV was also taken and that they had pried open a locked strongbox in order to get the cash, which her mother had saved for emergencies.

According to Mrs Andrews, it was her mother's neighbours who had originally raised the alarm after spotting movement in the house. One neighbour positioned himself at the back door while the other went to the front door while they waited for police to arrive. However, she claims that in the midst of this the burglars managed to somehow vanish.

"The police turned up immediately but they couldn't find them," she said.

Mrs Andrews is now trying to help recover the costs of her mother's stolen goods through an online fundraising campaign, however she claims that any attempts to publicise this has been met with harsh criticism and comments from other social media users accusing her of running a scam.

 

"Apparently this is a known scam but I'm trying to do something to rebuild my mother's life a bit.

"She's had a hard time of it these past few years. My father passed away in 2015 and in the same year, she was a victim of a hit and run.

"I don't know how she is going to mentally recover. She said she doesn’t want to go back to the house now.

"If anybody can help it would be so appreciated," she said.

Mrs Andrews had also asked for local pawnbrokers to keep an eye out for any wedding rings being sold to them and if they have doubts, to get in contact with authorities.