CHESAPEAKE, Va. - A family says their home was ransacked on Friday morning.
Tim and Leigh Anne Newsom say someone broke into their Western Branch home and trashed the place, throwing Christmas gifts all over the living room, flipping mattresses, and ripping through their drawers. The thieves got away with some of their jewelry and electronics.
"Every room in the house was violated," Tim said. The family has an alarm, but it was off because another family member was coming over to let their dog outside. The thieves got in through the back of the house. "They kicked in the whole glass [of the door] to a point where they reached in and unlocked the door and then got into the house," Tim said.
Once inside, they ransacked it. "It's heartbreaking, especially this time of year," said Leigh Anne, who has the house decorated for the holidays. "We're not going to let this spoil our Thanksgiving, our Christmas," said Leigh Anne. "We're just very blessed to have jobs and the things we have. We're going to move forward and do things for other people."
The family says this is a warning to others to make sure their homes are secure. "Pay attention and don't take it for granted," Tim said. "You could be next."
The family has cleaned up a lot of the damage and is looking to add more security to the house, including video cameras. Police say the investigation is ongoing.
