Thieves target flood victim

AN ELDERLY woman forced out of her house after the February floods has had her unoccupied home ransacked and burgled for the second time in six months.
Berwick resident Hennie Korte, 85, said she had “lost her trust in humanity” and wanted to send other residents a warning to be cautious of thieves.
Ms Korte had been living with her daughter in Donvale waiting to rebuild her house after much of it was destroyed in the February floods.
More tragedy struck in March when she found her house had been broken into and ransacked, with garden tools missing as well as an antique sewing machine given to her by her father 60 years ago before she moved from Holland to Australia.
Ms Korte received yet another blow on the weekend when she found her house had been targeted again.
She said it looked as though someone had rummaged through the house and stables looking for money but stole sentimental antique items instead.
“They had broken chains to the stables and stole horse gear and antique milk cans,” she said.“They also took an old hat stand.”
Ms Korte said she believed the items stolen from her house would be sold at markets for a profit.
“These are personal things,” she said.
“I was just so sad when I saw what had happened. I didn’t want to do anything.”
Ms Korte, who had lived in her Berwick home for 41 years, said she wanted other residents in similar situations to check on their homes and be wary of thieves.
“I just want to warn people again, and again and again,” she said.
Anyone with information about this incident should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.