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STAFF MOTOISJOfRD WITTEVEEN Janet Mountney can’t relax in her Stoufl’villeâ€"area home any longer after thieves stole money, a camera and jewelry while she was cutting the lawn one afternoon late last year. lane! Mountney used to leave her house and car doors unlocked and never once did she fell unsafe on her three-acre property that sits on the Durham side of the York-Durham Line just outside Stouffville. Bin now. the 79-year-old is a constant bundle of nerves living behind locked doors Mountney took navahtage of a warm. sunny October aflemoon to 3e! in what would perhaps be her lawn's [est _cut of the yea; 80.. too, did a thief. who stole jewelry. a camera and cash from the widow's home. 111a theft occuned between 3 and 5 pm. Oct. 11. Mountney left her garage door open. as well as the door unlocked that led from the garage into the home. _ Site has lived in the home for 40 years and has never had any trouble until mat day. ‘ “I think they had a lot of guts because they didn‘t know who was in the house.” Mount- "mauamtzswwnmawmmm .mwrwmwmm Maamgyguwmwwouumolm. 123567 moan: 191mmwx.mm Em" ' 5K8 Residents were home whenthieves struck BY SANDRA BOLAN sbolan®yrmg.com ney said. The petite woman didn't realize anything was missing until roughly 8:30 than night when she went into her bedroom. That is when she noticed her dressing table wasn't as she left it. The thief or thieves also went through her night stand and stole $60 from the wallet of her deceased husband Money she inherited from her brother. who died in 2009. was also taken. She planned on donating it to George Brown College. “Stupid me kept it in the house,” she said. Sunglassesaswellasacameraandits instruction book and cords were also stolen. Among the jewelry swiped were rings that once belonged to her mother and mother-in- law. a silver charm bracelet given to her by her late husband. as well as a mby and dia- mond ring from a now-deceased friend. “My husband was a veteran and l wally resent that.” she said. Mounfney has no idea of their cash value. marliniii' travel Your Destination Wedding Specialists Making memories that will last a lifetime Marlin Travel (Inside Walmart) 1 1050 Hoover Park Dr I (905) 640-8999 The case was investigated by police. but unfortunately. other than the description of a generic white van seen in the area at the time by a neighbour. there were no leads. according to Sgt. Nancy van Rooy. media relations officer for Durham Regional Police. There were no mports of other thefts in the area than day. according to van Rooy. Unless the jewelry is extremely unique. van Rooy said they can be very difficult to locate. Between online buy/sell websites such as Kijiji and eBay as well as pawn shops. those pieces could be anywhere. Money she inherited from her brother. who dial in 2009. was also taken. She planned on donating it to George Brown College. van Rooy said it is “within the realm of pos- sibility” Mountney was targeted or it could have been someone driving by who saw an opportunity and took it. Following the theft. Mounmoy did not leave her house for two weeks. she “It absolutely knocked me sideways. I couldn't move." she said. She is not alone. A Stoufiville resident told 'lhe Sunimhune about a similar incident last month. 'I‘hieves rang the bell at his suburban home. entered. ransacked a room and stole jewelry before me homeowner realized what happened. Five homes were broken into in south Stouffville in late 2011. They were all ran- sacked and jewelry was taken. The incidents 'led to (he fonnation of a Neighbourhood Watch unit near Oscar Peter- son Public School. ‘ "‘I don't ihink this was difficult for the sus- "I couldn‘t do anything. I was so shocked."