Eleanor Thompson A Rotorua mother and her 12-year-old daughter, who is battling leukemia, returned home from Auckland’s Starship Hospital to discover that their house had been burglarized. Tina Maria Grey and her daughter, Autumn Tangohau, had been away for Autumn’s cancer treatment since Sunday.
Upon their return on Tuesday afternoon, they found their Glenholme home in disarray, with Autumn’s medicine cupboard emptied and various items missing, including laptops, phones, gaming equipment, and medicine.
Grey expressed her distress, stating that she simply wants her daughter’s belongings back and desires to feel safe in their home again. The burglars had rifled through every room, even tampering with Autumn’s personal space in search of her Nintendo Switch.
The burglars took Autumn’s school and personal laptops, gaming headset, and Nintendo Switch, along with Grey’s laptop, mobile phones, and security cameras. They also turned off the Wi-Fi, indicating a calculated approach to their actions.
It was evident that the burglars had forced open the bathroom window to gain entry. Grey and Autumn had lived in their home for over a year without any previous issues, but now they are considering relocating to a safer environment due to Autumn’s increased sense of insecurity.
Autumn’s sleep has been affected, with every sound outside causing her to flinch, and Grey herself is struggling to cope with the violation of their personal space. She emphasized the added stress of managing Autumn’s health while dealing with the aftermath of the burglary.
The incident has been reported to the police, who are conducting inquiries, and forensic evidence has been collected from the scene. TIN Bureau
