‘You feel violated’: Adelaide couple reveals ordeal after home invasion, robbery while they were sleeping

An Adelaide couple has spoken of their terrifying ordeal, where members of the youth gang terrorising residents and frustrating police, ransacked their home and stole their car.

Life hasn’t been the same for Adelaide couple Bob and Gayle since an unwelcome visitor squeezed through their pet door.

After having the sanctity of their home violated by a group of youths who stole their new car and other personal belongings, they are hyper-aware of their security and wellbeing.

A new CCTV system – and a new laundry door minus the doggie door – are constant reminders of their unpleasant encounter with the youth crime wave that is continuing across Adelaide’s suburbs.

“You feel violated, you know someone has been in your home. Bob works in security, he didn’t want to work nightshift and leave me in the house,’’ Gayle said.

“We have installed security cameras, even our elderly neighbour has too, it has scared the life out of her. It just violates you, we have been invaded.’’

The couple, who asked not to be identified, are among dozens of victims of the crime trend that is both terrorising residents and frustrating police attempting to control it.

The pair had been away for a weekend and were in bed when the youths struck before midnight. The smallest of the group squeezed through their laundry doggie door to gain entry to their home, before letting accomplices in through the backdoor.

Once inside, they located the transponder key to a Toyota Camry Altise, a wallet, mobile phones and tablet devices and fled.

“I had shut the bedroom door and I did hear a noise, but I was thinking it was the dog using the pet door and dozed off again,’’ Bob said.

Gayle said when she walked into the loungeroom and kitchen the next morning she immediately saw the contents of her handbag strewn everywhere.

“I just knew something was wrong, we looked and everything was gone, phones, Bob’s work bag with his wallet, security passes, the lot.

“I went to the front door and looked out and our car was gone, they stole the transponder and just drove off.’’

“Bob and Gayle’’ whose home was ransacked by a youth gang. Picture: Matt Turner

Gayle said police attended and despite dusting every surface, including the doggie door, no fingerprints were found. Their severely damaged vehicle was located within a week and although the thieves were identified by CCTV adjacent where it was located, none of the group were charged because it could not be proved who stole it.

Only one juvenile, a recidivist offender, was charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle but it was subsequently dropped when he appeared in the Youth Court.

“Because he was never convicted we were unable to get any assistance as victims of crime, despite what had happened to us,’’ Gayle said.

The pair said while the experience has been distressing – including dealing with their insurance company that eventually wrote off their $30,000 Camry, they were thankful they did not confront any of the youths while they were inside their home because of the possible consequences.

“I think it is better we actually stayed asleep, the police told us that too,’’ Gayle said.

The pair said while they did not want to see children incarcerated for committing crimes such as this, they did not agree with moves to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 14 years.

“Locking them up really isn’t going to fix the problem, but there have got to be some repercussions somewhere for them when they commit crimes such as this, ’’ they said.

“There has to be, it can’t be a continual slap on the wrist and maybe pick up some paper with community service. As to what, I don’t know what would fix it.’’

Last month the Sunday Mail revealed a gang of indigenous youths calling themselves Black, Young and Ruthless was responsible for dozens of car thefts, including high-powered luxury vehicles – after entering homes through pet doors – and subsequent high-speed pursuits with police.

Last week an associate of gang members, a well-known recidivist offender, was arrested after an almost hour-long police chase while driving a stolen Volkswagen Tiguan through the northern suburbs.

Police are still hunting for several other vehicles believed stolen by gang members, including a late-model Ford Mustang. The vehicle was last seen when used in a petrol drive-off in the western suburbs.