HEARTLESS THIEVES RANSACK HOME HIT BY DEATH CRASH (From Warrington Guardian)

HEARTLESS THIEVES RANSACK HOME HIT BY DEATH CRASH

HEARTLESS thieves have ransacked a Little Leigh family's cottage, which had been severely damaged by a lorry in a fatal accident.

Peter and Kerry O'Connor were at work when the lorry smashed into their cottage on the A49 Warrington Road on Wednesday afternoon.

Police told the family it was unsafe for them to go back into the cottage, where they have lived with Kerry's son Tom, 11, for almost five years.

A request by Peter, 48, pictured above, for a security guard to patrol outside the cottage was declined and on Friday night, burglars targeted the boarded up cottage, stealing musical instruments, amplifiers, a CD collection, computer games and Christmas presents.

Among the instruments was a rare, distinctive, fretless guitar, which Peter had owned for 17 years.

He said: "It is very cruel. We have been kicked while we were down.

"To target a young child is completely unacceptable. Tom is only 11.

"We were coping with what happened to the cottage and this happens. It becomes extremely personal.

"I just hope we can prick the conscience of the burglars.

"I know there is some code of honour about certain crimes among thieves. Whether this is such a case I don't know."

It was case of mixed emotions for Peter when he saw his cottage after the accident.

He said: "Our problem is only bricks and mortar.

"There's another family who have lost a husband, father and grandfather.

"My first thought was for the family and friends. We can't put our own problems into that category.

"When I first saw the cottage after the accident, I thought it was 9/11. I saw so many fire engines I thought, 'what has happened'? Then I saw a trailer sticking out of my front door."

vkandel@guardiangrp.co.uk