Melbourne family devastated as item belonging to late mum stolen from backyard

A 24-year-old was distraught when an irreplaceable item belonging to her late mother was stolen from their backyard in Melbourne.

A distraught Melbourne woman has turned detective after someone stole a “sentimental” item belonging to her late mother from a washing line.

Lilly Down, 24, said she was horrified after discovering an opportunist had snatched the vintage red jumper that originally belonged to her mum Liz, who passed away on Christmas Eve, 2022, at the age of 61.

The distinctive garment was bought while her parents were living in Minnesota back in 1987. But on Saturday night, it was removed from a communal clothes line in the backyard at her sister Jennifer’s gated Carlton apartment complex – and now the siblings are desperate to get it back.

“The jumper was passed down to Jennifer before we lost our mum to pancreatic cancer,” the university student told news.com.au.

“She’s worn it to death, it’s pretty threadbare, but it still obviously has that significant meaning to us all.

“Our whole family is quite sentimental and we all have a locket our mum left us when she passed that we wear and we’ll often still wear her locket as well to hold onto those bits of her as much as we can.”

According to the Crime Statistics Agency, Victoria’s overall crime rate has risen to its highest level since 2016. Specifically, the number of criminal incidents recorded in the state in the year to December 2024 was up 18.7 per cent from the previous year.

While some areas in Melbourne have seen decreasing rates, Carlton, along with other suburbs like Collingwood and West Melbourne, has been identified as having high burglary rates.

Specific data on washing line theft is limited, but the trend appears to be linked to factors such as the cost-of-living crisis and an overall increased rate in retail theft.

This almost 40-year-old jumper, worn by Lily Down’s mum Liz before she died, was stolen from a washing line in Carlton. Picture: Supplied

Ms Down and her sister Jennifer are devastated and are keen for the sentimental item to be returned. Picture: Supplied

After the jumper was stolen, along with activewear and two pairs of expensive Damson Matter pyjama sets, Ms Down decided to take matters into her own hands and issued a series of impassioned pleas for the treasured garment’s safe return.

“We were all so upset, and I was wondering how I might be able to get mum’s jumper back, and it occurred to me everything that was stolen probably appeared to be resellable to the thief,” Lilly told news.com.au.

“I wondered whether it might show up at a flea market or an op-shop as it’s kind of that classic, vintage sweatshirt look.

“So I posted in a couple of local Facebook groups, and the posts got some really good traction, so I decided to do a TikTok.”

The shocking act has occurred as Melbourne is experiencing its worst crime rates since 2016. Picture: Supplied

In the clip, Ms Down explains how “sad” her entire family is, and is asking for help to locate the jumper.

“If anyone sees this jumper, it says Scarlet Country and then Mankato West below the M.

“It’s about 40 years old and means a lot to my sister, all of us. If you have a dead parent you know how much their stuff means to you, especially after they are gone.”

Hundreds flocked to support Ms Down on her mission to locate the missing item, vowing to keep their eyes peeled.

“Mission find this jumper begins,” one commented.

“OMG this is horrible, what the freak!!!! Hoping it finds its way back to you,” stated another.

As one claimed: “So sorry! More people should know this happens all the time. Never put valuable things on a clothes line, get a clothes horse. Hope you find the jumper.”

While there’s been no leads yet, Ms Down is still hopeful they might get their treasured item back.

“I understand that some people might say, ‘it’s just a jumper’, and that there’s bigger things going on in the world,” she told news.com.au.

“But that being said, it’s really nice having people be on the lookout for it. We really hope we can get it back.”