Several homes in the Copperfield area were hit by thieves this week and in one instance the suspects gained access through the garage and then made their way into the home.

Jennifer Merio says someone broke into her home in the middle of the night on Wednesday and made off with a number of the family’s electronics.

“My husband went to walk my young daughter to school and when he got back he noted that the garage door was open,” said Merio. “It was at that moment that I looked over at our home office, which is just off the kitchen, and noticed that my laptop was gone and then my husband noticed that his laptop was also missing and then we had other electronics that are on the main floor that were also missing.”

She says the thieves were rummaging around in the home while the family was asleep upstairs sometime between midnight and 7:00 a.m.

“I’m just so thankful that, I have two small children, that they didn’t hear anything and come downstairs or that there wasn’t a confrontation between one of the adults and whoever was in our house,” she said.

Merio says she has connected with some of her neighbours on Facebook to get the word out and found out there were others who have been targeted by crooks in the last few weeks.

“We had a few other people contact us and let us know that they had personally been broken into and then we also had someone come forward with a surveillance video as well that we’re sharing with the police,” she said.

One of Merio’s neighbours was also hit and every gift under the tree was taken. The homeowners found remnants of the things the thieves didn’t want strewn about the street and alley.

Police are aware that a number of break-ins have occurred in the area and are working to identify the culprits.

“We found some very distinct footprints, both in the garage and in the house, of the sole of what appears to be a work boot. Actually the police officer was quite surprised the sole of the shoe was very, very similar to the shoes he himself was wearing so very distinctive shoes so hopefully that footprint helps as well,” said Merio.

Merio says that the whole thing has brought them closer to their neighbours and that they are taking a few steps to ensure that they’re home is more secure.