Blackpool family burgled whilst sleeping: 'The killer bit was knowing they had been in Lucas' bedroom'

Declan Shaw was horrified to find their sons room was burgled while he was asleep.

Declan Shaw and Becky McPake, of Sedburgh Avenue, noticed items were out of place when they went downstairs – and then realised things had been stolen.

Declan, who works as a mobile DJ, was particularly unhappy to find items he needed for his job, including a laptop and a hard drive, had been taken, as well as £570 rent money.

But what disturbed the couple most of all was when they realised the intruder had even been into the bedroom of their little boy, four-year-old Lucas.

The burglary happened in the early hours of Friday, August 3, and it only became evident when the pair were up and about, shortly after 9am.

Declan, 53, said: “It’s everyone’s nightmare but you don’t think it will really happen to you. It was a horrible feeling, to realise someone had been in the house while we slept.

“The killer bit was knowing they had been in Lucas’ bedroom, pulling stuff out of a cupboard while he was sleeping there.

“If he had woken up and seen them, I don’t know what would have happened. The thought of that haunts me, I wasn’t able to protect him.

“It’s been horrendous. We changed the locks and had to take the little one to his nana’s for a few days. It didn’t seem safe.”

It became apparent the burglar got in through an upstairs window, left open because of the summer heat, after first scaling an outbuilding.

Declan added: “What also upset me was the police didn’t come to talk to us until the following day, even though we rang them straightaway.

“That makes you feel like they’re not bothered – like it doesn’t matter.”

Delay due to other incidents

A spokesman for Lancashire Police said: “We received a report at 9.30am on Friday, August 3, that a house in Sedbergh Avenue, Blackpool, had been burgled.

“Due to other incidents on Friday, there was a delay in deploying an officer to the address. We explained the situation to the householders and apologised for the delay.

“At shortly after 9.30am on Saturday, August 4, investigators attended the address to secure any forensics left by the offenders. An officer also attended later that morning.

“We understand any burglary is distressing for the householders and work to catch offenders and bring them to justice.”