A WIDOWER who lost his home and wife within two months has faced further heartache thanks to callous thieves.
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Barry Owens, 75, went to his beloved Wyuna property on Sunday morning to mow the lawns and found about $40,000 worth of equipment stolen.
They included his tractor, trailer, ride-on mower, log splitter, chainsaws, whipper snippers, welding machine, water tank pumps and generator.
“This is a blow that dad does not need considering he is grieving the loss of his wife and doing his best to adjust to life without her,” daughter Kim Wheeler said.
“Dad's health has not been good since mum's passing and he has done his best to soldier on without her, but it has been hard in recent times as we warned him to take care of himself and only go out when he needs to due to our fear of him contracting coronavirus.
“One place he could go without worries and he had a purpose to visit was the house site where he would mow the grass and tinker in his shed.”
Barry and his late wife Margaret lost their home on the eight-acre property to a fire on December 27 last year.
“My parents fled their home with the clothes on their backs, the house, and everything in it including family keepsakes were completely destroyed,” Kim said.
“My mother had been fighting cancer for 14 years and had broken her hip in the October and had only been released from hospital two days before Christmas.
“My parents were amazing after the fire considering they had lost their beautiful home which was a haven for their all their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
“They were looking forward to the future, making plans and so thankful for the support of so many people in and around Kyabram and Wyuna, when mum’s health deteriorated, and she died on February 14.”
Kim said the burglary, which occurred between Thursday afternoon and Sunday morning, had been a kick in the guts for her father.
“Whoever did this was fully aware of the devastation that had befallen this family as they committed this heinous act surrounded with the debris that was once my parents beloved home,” she said.
“It must have been a few people and cars too as they took the tractor away on a trailer.
“The grandkids all loved this tractor, getting up and sitting in the seat when they were young and pretending to drive it. I'm not sure which of them christened the tractor Bucky, but it stuck.”
Kyabram's Leading Senior Constable Bill Hayes said police were following a line of inquiry.
“It’s not the way that we expect Australians to behave,” he said.
“People need to start jacking up against the crooks and saying that it’s just not on. This guy is struggling, and he needs a break.
“We’re seeking any witnesses and they can either report details to us here at Kyabram police station (5853 1777) or Crime Stoppers (1800 333 000).”
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