A MOTHER of three has been shaken after thieves broke into her home in the middle of the day.

The burglary was reported to have taken place in Elderton Road, Westcliff at around 10.30am on Tuesday.

The thieves smashed through the kitchen window of the property, opening it from the inside, and searched through her home, taking precious jewellery and a collection of sentimental goods which she described as “irreplaceable”.

Among the items taken was her wedding and engagement rings, as well as a collection of iPads and the woman’s laptop, which had pictures of the children, all under the age of ten, as they have grown up.

The woman, who asked not to be named, said: “They have taken the children’s iPads and my laptop.

“They have a lot of photos of them from when they were growing up.

“The thieves also stole jewellery; a wedding ring, engagement ring and a lot of family heirlooms that are just irreplaceable

“It is just horrible that they would take things like that, it is just gut wrenching.”

Elderton Road is a quiet residential road near to the Palace Theatre, London Road.

The woman said that she felt the road had been targeted by the thieves, and that they had worked out how and when they were going to break into the property.

She said: “I think the house may have been targeted, it is a nice road with plenty of nice cars which people have all worked hard for.

“I think they looked at the property and thought they would try it.”

Following the incident on Tuesday morning, the victim has been worried the thieves may make a return to the house.

She added that returning to normal working life has been difficult for her.

She described returning home to find her most cherished possessions stolen as a “personal invasion”.

The woman said: “It is one of those things where you feel like you’ve had a personal invasion.

“There are three young children in this house, all below ten, and I am struggling to sleep at night. It has been a big shock.”

“To have to go back to living a normal life and going to work after something like this has happened has been difficult.”

Following the burglary in Elderton Road on Tuesday morning, Essex Police have launched an appeal to find a man they wish to speak to in connection with the incident.

A police spokesman said: "We are asking for help to identify a man who we would like to talk to in connection with a burglary in Westcliff. 

"Shortly before 10.30am on Tuesday, February 10, entry was forced into a house on Elderton Road and a number of items stolen from the address. "