Car thieves put brick through window as new mum feeds baby
AN ALMIGHTY smash, the screech of tyres and a baby crying – the sounds heard by a petrified new mum as thieves drove off in the family car while she fed her nine-week-old daughter just metres away.
Brazen criminals paid no notice to the fact that Kirsty Glasson, 26, was in the next room – with the lights on – when they smashed the front door window with a brick, reached in to take the keys out of the keyhole and drove off in the family's Vauxhall Astra.
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HORRIFIED: Chris Westerman and his partner Kirsty Glasson, of Grimsby, pictured with their nine week old baby daughter, Olivia Westerman, alongside their boarded up front door.
She had been feeding daughter Olivia – born just nine weeks ago – at 4.30am on Sunday at her home in Peterhouse Road, Grimsby, where she lives with fiance, lorry-driver Chris Westerman, 37 – who was asleep upstairs.
Kirsty said: "The brick could have killed Olivia if it had come through the front room window.
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"I was absolutely petrified, totally numb with fear – I couldn't even speak."
Humberside Police are now investigating the incident and have warned residents to keep keys hidden – or the next address they target could be yours.
A spokesman said: "Keep your house and car keys somewhere safe and discrete or criminals may decide to take a chance."
Chris said he jumped out of bed immediately when he heard what he said sounded like a bomb going off downstairs – and his first thoughts were of his partner and daughter.
"You can't imagine what was going through my head when I heard that sound and realised they were downstairs," he said.
Mr Westerman ran to the landing shouting Kirsty's name and she just replied "the car, the car" – so he ran back to his room to get some clothes and shoes on as the floor was covered in broken glass.
By the time he was clothed and got to the door, he could hear the tyres screeching outside as the thieves drove off.
Since the incident, Kirsty has not felt safe in her home and will no longer tend to her daughter downstairs after dark – and the family has had to change the locks in case the criminals return to the house. Hardworking Chris feels he can no longer take jobs with overnight stop-offs – which are common in his line of work – while his fiancee and daughter are at the house.
The couple came forward with their story to warn others to keep keys hidden and to ask the public to look out for their daughter's buggy frame, which was in the car.
It was a silver Bebetto frame with a black bag in the bottom containing a raincover. It has black wheels, which are bigger at the back.
Chris said: "We have been leaving our keys in the door for years and never thought it would be a problem – but we won't be doing it any more.
"The car was insured and can be replaced but it had Olivia's buggy in it – it cost about £600 and we've bought all the parts."
Information to Humberside Police on 101, quoting log number 147 of February 24, 2013.
10 Comments
by jakemjones84
Wednesday, February 27 2013, 10:57PM
“Hi, this happened to us two weeks ago, I normally put keys out of sight but this one time I didn't, just goes to show you need to be on your guard, we had two expensive car seats in the car and our pushchair too. Also our car was an Astra! Had phone call tonight stating car has been recovered and someone in custody! Hope she gets hers back too :-) main thing is noone hurt!”
by TheWrangler
Wednesday, February 27 2013, 8:01PM
“That was my first thought EWW01 too!
What do you do with your keys, sure don't leave them in your door, but at the end of the day its only a car.
A friend of a friend was woken in bed at 4am by a man with kettle full of boiling water held over his head and told "give me your car keys of your getting this over your ####### head"”
by williewonky
Wednesday, February 27 2013, 5:34PM
“Anyways in my pocket, and I won't give up any possessions without a full on scrap.
They are not easily findable at night either. Again - I catch you, you won't know what's hit you.
But, if someone did steal my motor, as it's big and powerful I would hope to see it in a ditch or field with the thieves still trapped inside - having severely suffered before dying. Always said this, if my car is robbed, I hope it's the last drive they ever take.”
by EWW01
Wednesday, February 27 2013, 5:13PM
“Bit suspicious this.
Most front door glass is patterned so if keys were left in the lock on the inside then they deffo could not be seen from the outside so who would know they were there.
If it has happened like described then I would bet a previous visitor/friend has noticed the keys left habitually in the lock,and the rest is now history.”
by manujoking
Wednesday, February 27 2013, 4:52PM
“this town and country get better by the day and if caught what will they get yes a kiss and more jobseekers as they had a hard life their dad broke wind when they where 12 nice”
by Big-Hat-Harry
Wednesday, February 27 2013, 3:38PM
“Hopefully the thieves will be caught and given a proper sentence.
The household or car insurance might cover the cost of replacing the buggy as well as the car. Give it a try and see, nothing ventured nothing gained. But be prepared for a significant rise in the insurance costs next renewal. Insurance companies always find a way of making you pay more, even when it isn't your fault.”
by Big-Hat-Harry
Wednesday, February 27 2013, 3:38PM
“Hopefully the thieves will be caught and given a proper sentence.
The household or car insurance might cover the cost of replacing the buggy as well as the car. Give it a try and see, nothing ventured nothing gained. But be prepared for a significant rise in the insurance costs next renewal. Insurance companies always find a way of making you pay more, even when it isn't your fault.”
by davendogs
Wednesday, February 27 2013, 1:02PM
“How would they have known the keys where in the door? I can feel for the young lady having such a fright. Rather silly thing to do though. Certainly do not keep house and car keys on the same ring. Do not leave them on the downstairs table in full view either. I take it you haven't left the keys in the back door. If so, get them removed pronto.”
by THEAPPLE
Wednesday, February 27 2013, 11:47AM
“who,who after ALL the warnings on tv leaves their keys in the door,thats why the brick (GY universal door opener)didnt come through the living room window,now if you had been soft enough to leave your keys on your window sill ,it would have done .”
by Hedgewood
Wednesday, February 27 2013, 8:33AM
“Not a good idea leaving your car keys next to your car, & your door keys in the lock, my keys sleep next to me, up stairs.
Lets hope the thief gets caught”