Strathmore mum sleeps with three knives following burglaries

A mother-of-two has taken to sleeping with knives next to her bedside after her Strathmore home was broken into twice in a month, leaving her fearing for her life.

Sibel Sahinkaya and her two children arrived at their Strathmore home in October to find everything stolen.

A Strathmore mum has been left “terrified” and now sleeps with knives by her bedside after her home was broken into twice in a month.

Sibel Sahinkaya’s home in the northwestern suburb of Strathmore was broken into during the day on October 10.

The offenders broke down the front door and fled with thousands of dollars worth of jewellery and new appliances still in boxes, including a $6000 television.

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Ms Sahinkaya’s USB sticks were also stolen and contained “thousands” of photos of her children growing up.

The mother-of-two started parking her car in the garage at the advice of police so people who could be watching the house could not track her movements.

But three weeks later, at 1.30am on November 3, Ms Sahinkaya was sitting up in bed on her mobile phone when she heard two men outside her front door using tools to try and break in.

“I thought I was going to die,” she said.

Ms Sahinkaya immediately turned all the lights on and called the police.

“They were here in minutes,” she said.

“I was the seventh phone call they had received on the night from surrounding areas.”

But the offenders fled and remain on the run.

Ms Sahinkaya, who is a real estate agent, had only just moved into the home with her two children aged eight and nine, but will now looking for another home.

“I don’t sleep anymore. My son is very terrified.”

Ms Sahinkaya said she had not had time to update her contents insurance and was not covered for anything stolen during the first burglary.

She said since the attempted burglary, her neighbours had installed cameras and security alarms.

A Victoria Police spokesman said Mooney Valley Crime Investigation Unit detectives were investigating the circumstances surrounding the burglary and attempted burglary.

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