Burglars Steal Elderly Woman's Heirloom Jewelry, Irreplaceable Family Documents

Burglars entered an 88-year old Stillwater woman’s home last night and stole several pieces of irreplaceable jewelry, and a letterbox full of historical family documents dating back to her family’s immigration from Denmark.

Police are uncertain how the burglars entered the woman’s home in the 200 block of Sherburne Street North just after 4 a.m. Aug. 15, Stillwater Police Sgt. Jeff Stender said.

The woman was woken up after someone rang the doorbell, the police report states. Before she went to answer the door, the woman went to the bathroom when she noticed a noticed a light on in the back bedroom.

The woman opened the door and saw a man jumping out the window, Stender said.

The woman described the man as wearing dark blue clothing with a possible maroon shirt underneath and a hooded sweatshirt.

While in the bedroom, the burglars reportedly stole her mother’s wedding ring, jewelry she had been collecting her entire life, and a metal box that had paperwork dating back to when her family came to the United States from Denmark, Stender said.

“This is bothersome,” Stender said. “It tugs at you when someone loses things that mean so much to them. This stuff probably had no monetary value to the thieves. They probably thought there was money in a box and when they found it was just papers, they probably discarded it somewhere … but this stuff is irreplaceable.

“This woman lived here her whole life,” Stender continued. “She worked hard and raised a family here—and it is sad she does not feel safe after being victimized in her own home.”

The burglary remains under investigation.