A TEENAGER has been left “disgusted” by thieves who ransacked his Braintree home and stole charity money along with £5,000 in jewellery and cash.

Stephen Vieira, 18, arrived at his Bartram Avenue home on Monday evening at 8.20pm to find the house had been ransacked.

Mr Vieira, a part-time referee since leaving the College at Braintree in May, assumed his dad had been sorting out paperwork downstairs when he walked in to find sensitive documents strewn across the floor.

He said: “I shouted out for my dad when I saw the mess, but got no answer.

“I tried to ring him three times to ask if he had been sorting things but he didn’t answer and neither did my mum. The back door was wide open and when I looked upstairs I realised we had been burgled, because it was a mess.

“I assume that I disturbed the burglar when he was downstairs and he ran off, because the door was wide open.

“The police said they used a crowbar or something similar to hit just the right point on the door.

“I was there by myself. It was horrible”

Braintree and Witham Times:

The thieves stole £1,200 in cash from a secure safe, a Pandora bracelet with nine charms, wedding rings, a man’s bracelet, a necklace, euros and a necklace and bracelet set that Mr Vieira was given at his baptism 15 years ago.

He said: “What makes me annoyed is, in my bedroom I had a pot of loose change, just pennies and silver coins, that I save to donate to charity.

“There must have only been £15 or £20 in there and they have taken that and left the plastic container on my bed which I’m disgusted at.

“I had some money for my driving test on Tuesday as well, and that’s gone.

“I don’t want any of my neighbours to be burgled, I’m a bit worried about them now. I’m just disgusted.

“My mum is scared of staying in the house on her own now so I’m trying to get security cameras put in.”

Braintree and Witham Times:

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “Thieves forced open the front door of the property between 2.30pm and 8.30pm on Monday, December 14. Cash and jewellery were stolen.”

Contact Braintree CID on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.