VIDEO: Heartless thieves steal 6-year-old boy’s birthday presents from his mum’s car in West Lothian

Heartless thieves have been caught on CCTV apparently breaking into a West Lothian mum’s car and stealing her six-year-old son’s birthday presents.
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Chris and Liz McWilliams have shared the footage - captured just after 1:50am on April 12th - on social media in a bid to catch the two culplrits following the incident in Winchburgh.

Speaking the Evening News, Mr McWilliams said a personalised Roald Dahl Willy Wonka book for their son, Rhys, was among the gifts in two carrier bags stolen from his wife’s car boot.

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And the 36-year-old father said a first Lego set for Rhys, bought by his granddfather in Cardiff, was also taken from the vehicle.

CCTV stills show the two thieves targeting the vehicle. Pic: Contributed.CCTV stills show the two thieves targeting the vehicle. Pic: Contributed.
CCTV stills show the two thieves targeting the vehicle. Pic: Contributed.

Mr McWilliams, who is an architectural manager, said: “They are opportunistic youths who were going round trying cars.”

His wife Liz said she had arrived home from an eight-hour drive from Cardiff on the Thursday night, just hours before the theft took place in the early hours of Friday, April 12th.

The following morning, she received a call from a friend whose vehicle had been broken into and she went outside to check her own.

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The 39-year-old staff nurse then saw her car doors were ajar and that the bags of presents were missing.

The thieves target the car. Pic: contributedThe thieves target the car. Pic: contributed
The thieves target the car. Pic: contributed

Rhys’s birthday took place on April 5th but the family were waiting until they came home from their trip to Cardiff before he opened them.

Other presents for their son included arts and crafts materials, a remote controlled car and a children’s fish tank.

Mrs McWilliams said: “I had to explain to Rhys what had happened very carefully and show him the footage because he was frightened that they (the thieves) might come back. I had to show him that they were silly little boys.

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“It’s not good at all. You think you are in a safe neighbourhood and then something like this happenes.”

CCTV shows the thieves entering the vehicle.CCTV shows the thieves entering the vehicle.
CCTV shows the thieves entering the vehicle.

The couple, who have lived in Winchburgh for about four years, contacted police straight away.

And they say they kmow of four cars which were broken into in the same area - Millcraig - that night.

The couple have also been approached by someone locally with possible names of the cuplrits which they say have been passed on to police.

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But Mr McWilliams said he has been left “frustrated” with the lack of communication from police about how their inquiries are progressing.

CCTVCCTV
CCTV

He said they “haven’t heard a thing” from them since calling about the incident on April 12th, and since handing them the CCTV footage on Thursday, April 19th.

The couple have shared details and images of the incident on social media in a bid to catch those responsible.

It asks if anyone knows any details which could help, or has been approached by someone trying to sell Lego, then they should call police on 101.

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It adds: “The boys headed off on to the path at the side of the bellway houses, in the direction of Sainsbury’s.

“They were both on foot and wearing quite distinctive clothing.”

The police media team are currently unavailable for comment due to it being a holiday.

One of the personalised pages inside the book. It makes specific reference to Rhys and his little brother, Owen. Pic: contributedOne of the personalised pages inside the book. It makes specific reference to Rhys and his little brother, Owen. Pic: contributed
One of the personalised pages inside the book. It makes specific reference to Rhys and his little brother, Owen. Pic: contributed

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