Terrifying moment burglar sneaks into house and steals £2,000 of valuables in less than 30 seconds – while the owner is outside talking to police and her daughter is in her bedroom
- Darryle, 56, and wife Monica Langford, 54, were celebrating Monica’s birthday
- After guests left around 1am a fire started on a tree 22 yards in front of property
- While they rushed to put out the blaze a robber ran into home just yards away
- The couple moved to Albir, Alicante, Spain in 2000 from Saltash in Cornwall
Terrifying footage captures the moment a brazen robber hides behind a palm tree just five yards away from a home owner before dashing into her house while she runs outside to put out a fire he has set as a distraction.
Darryle, 56, and Monica Langford, 54, had just finished celebrating Monica’s birthday with friends on the terrace of their Albir, Alicante, Spain, home at 1.17am on Sunday night when Darryle saw a fire had ignited at the front of their property.
Running outside with a hosepipe to the ignited pine tree just 22 yards from the front of the house Darryle was met with Police officers who had been called to the fire by a worried neighbour.
Darryle called to wife Monica, who was on the phone to the fire brigade, to turn on the hosepipe.
As Monica runs down the terrace to assist her husband the terrifying footage shows the robber dashing into the house – where the couple’s 17-year-old daughter was in her bedroom sleeping.
Unaware of the ongoing burglary police stood just 22 yards away helping the owners to extinguish the fire at the front of the property.
Monica runs down the terrace to assist her husband as the robber dashes into the house
The burglar dashes into the house while the owners are just 22 yards away with police
He can be seen in the house for 30 seconds before making his escape without being spotted
Over £2,000 worth of goods were stolen from the property within 30 seconds, including Darryle’s mobile, smart car keys, documentation, and Monica’s handbag which contained €800 ready to pay her mother’s carer the next morning.
Darryle said: ‘The man has more front than Blackpool.
‘I don’t known what would have happened if we caught him, I think there would have been confrontation.
He said: ‘We didn’t realise we had been burgled until 10 am the next day when my wife went to get her bag, then I realised my phone was gone and checked the cameras.
Darryle, who moved to Alicante from Cornwall in 2000 said: ‘This is the third break-in we’ve had, plus another attempted, but the area is absolutely stunning and we have no regrets living here, it’s a wonderful lifestyle.’
The couple’s Albir, Alicante, home where they live with their 17-year-old daughter
Darryle, 56, and wife Monica Langford, 54, say they love life in Spain despite the three break-ins
The couple made the move from British Darryle’s home in Saltash in Cornwall to Monica’s native Albir, Alicante, Spain, in 2000 and had their daughter shortly after.
Darryle said police believe the thief had also been responsible for breaking a woman’s bedroom window in a nearby town just an hour prior, attempting a robbery while she was asleep.
Darryle said: ‘The guests had just left when I decided to go for a swim, I heard a crackling from the sound of pine needles on fire and ran out to see that a massive tree was on fire.
‘The flames were about 5 or 6 yards high, we managed to get them under 6ft by the time the fire brigade arrived.
‘Because it’s so dry if we hadn’t have got the fire out the whole house would have gone up.’
The couple believe the robber had been watching the party on the terrace all night before choosing the opportune moment to set a fire and distract them before running into the house.
Dry pine trees surround the property, leaving Darryle worried the whole house would ignite
The view from their gorgeous villa in Alicante where they had been enjoying a meal for Monica’s 54th birthday
Darryle who owns a mobile phone shop in Albir town says petty crime is rife in the area.
Although the couple are insured they will not be able to claim for the break-in as there was no forced entry – the robber simply walked through the door while they were distracted.
He added: ‘Although we won’t get the money back for the valuables the most annoying thing is all the documents because they are hard to replace here in Spain.
‘They stole Monica’s driving license and her mother’s ID card, which you need instead of a passport.’
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