Shannon and James came home after a brief outing with their young children to find their house ripped apart. (submitted)

By Spencer Sterritt

b&e

‘We were crushed:’ toys, cash and timeless photos stolen from young Nanaimo family

Jun 25, 2019 | 10:38 AM

NANAIMO — Shannon Harmsen had spent hours late at night perfecting the slideshow she wanted played at her wedding. As a mother of two and a student, she couldn’t spare much time and put everything she had into the slideshow and planning the wedding to her fiance James Robson.

Now it’s all gone.

On Sunday, June 23, they returned to their St. George St. home after an afternoon out to find their door open and their house robbed.

“I was terrified,” she told NanaimoNewsNOW.

“My fiance checked all through the house to make sure no one was inside before we started looking around for what was missing. We were crushed.” _{Shannon Hermsen}

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Thieves who robbed their house made off with a significant amount of goods.

Hermsen said a new duffel bag, Canon camera bag, lenses, cash saved for their wedding, two boxes of children’s toys and two laptops were stolen.

The stolen children’s toys and the laptops hurt the family the most.

“The laptop they stole had precious pictures of our family we can never get back. I spent months working on our wedding slideshow and now that’s gone as well. We’re a young family. We work really hard and have saved for years for the nice things we have.” _{Shannon Hermsen}

Hermsen said Nanaimo RCMP told them the theft was likely perpetrated by two thieves due to the amount of items taken.

It’s believed they entered through the bathroom window.

“I can’t sleep properly at night knowing someone has been watching our home and knows everything that’s inside,” she said. “Luckily our children are really little so they don’t understand the extent of what’s happening. But as a parent I worry for their safety at home.”

Their house now has upgraded security on windows and doors, but she said it’s not enough to reduce their fears and sense of unease.

A GoFundMe was set up by her fiance’s mother.

If anyone has information, they’re urged to call Nanaimo RCMP or Crime Stoppers.

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit