A Melbourne couple’s WA holiday took a sour turn when an estimated $9,000 worth of goods were allegedly stolen from them in Esperance.
The couple were staying at the Esperance Seafront Caravan Park.
Louise Storey had been in Esperance with her husband for a few days before they noticed items missing from their caravan early on Saturday morning, August 11.
“We’d been staying at the Seafront Caravan Park, no dramas no anything,” she said.
“Went to the movies on Friday night and came back and went to bed.
“My husband got up and went to the toilet about half past one and woke up again at about five o’clock and all of our things out of our caravan had been taken.”
Ms Storey said items stolen included her handbag, her wallet, her husband’s wallet, her wedding ring, her engagement ring, her husband’s wedding ring, her laptop, their iPads and phones.
“We’ve been wearing [the rings] for 20 years, I’m feeling a bit lost without them,” she said.
Ms Storey said her handbag also contained spending money for her holiday which she had been looking forward to for a year.
“There is CCTV footage from the office here, but it's quite a fair way from where we are, and they can see someone come to the van at sort of 2:30 in the morning,” she said.
Ms Storey said the couple visited the Esperance Stonehenge, where the owner gave her a free handbag after hearing her story.
“I said I don’t have anything to put in it but she said ‘it doesn’t matter a ladies got to have a handbag’,” she said.
“That lady has made my day,” she said.
Ms Storey said the couple were determined not to let the incident ruin their holiday and would still have positive memories from their trip to Esperance.
“We were having a great time, we’d been to Cape le Grand, we’d been to Ravensthorpe and Hopetoun,” she said.
“It was really good.
“We were planning on going to Loose Goose for tea because everyone told us that was great.
“We ended up not being able to do that because we didn’t have any money.
“We ended up having hot dogs for tea that night, but they were nice hot dogs.”
Ms Storey said they hoped the remainder of their items would be found, but thought it was unlikely.
Esperance Police confirmed the incident was under investigation and certain items were retrieved and were seized for forensic analysis.
Anyone with any information is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a report online at www.crimestopperswa.com.au.