Father Jan (42) sees how a cowardly thief steals a 20-kilo safe containing children’s savings: “My blood was boiling” (Alveringem)

“My blood boiled when I saw the images. I really hope they find that cowardly thief.” Jan Pollet (42) from Hoogstade near Alveringem is furious after a burglar broke into his home on Sunday morning and stole a 20 kilo safe. It contained his own money, but especially the savings of his four children. A loot of several thousand euros. “They are of course at the heart of it. That man was in here for four minutes. Did he perhaps know what he needed?” Jan wonders.

Today at 11:53

On Sunday morning, Jan Pollet’s 16-year-old daughter, who lives with his family on the new Montignyplein subdivision in Hoogstade, woke up early. After all, the family had to go to the communion party of Jan’s godchild. But that party started on a low note when the daughter made a strange discovery.

“She went downstairs and saw that the front door was open,” says Jan. “When she looked outside she saw that our car keys were in the driveway. The cars themselves were still there. Very strange, and she immediately called me to find out what was going on. When I looked myself I saw it immediately: our safe in the living room was gone.” (Read more below the photo)

Children’s savings

Jan looked inside with the images from his cameras. “My blood boiled when I saw it,” he continues. “At 5.30 am you see a man with glasses enter our living room. Our front door was closed, but not locked. Apparently he was able to break it open quite quickly and without making any noise. Once on screen, he was barely inside for four minutes. You see him look around for a moment, walk to the safe that was against the wall and take all the things from it. Then he takes that heavy safe with him. It is 35 by 30 centimeters and weighs at least 20 kilograms. The safe itself contained savings from our four children, some money from ourselves and securities from the car. In total this amounts to several thousand euros. He also took my wife’s wallet with him, but he left other things such as an Apple smartwatch behind. After four minutes he disappeared again. Silently. While we were sleeping. It makes my blood boil.” (Read more below the photo)

Trace investigation

Jan immediately informed the Spoorkin police. They made the observations, took photos and took the camera images with them. The police laboratory will come by on Monday for a trace investigation.

“We know that that man with that heavy safe walked 150 meters on a gravel path to the main road, Hoogstadestraat,” Jan continues. “We know that because he lost my wife’s wallet along the way. Perhaps he put the safe in a car there and disappeared. However, he is clearly recognizable in the images and we hope that the police will find that cowardly thief. He seemed to know what he needed, which is certainly striking. In the meantime, we can give our four children the necessary explanations. We have 9-year-old twins, a 14-year-old son and a 16-year-old daughter. They are heartbroken that people are capable of something so bad. We are of course also in shock that someone just entered our house. My godson’s communion party started on a low note.”