Leongatha home of Erin Patterson targeted by thieves, friends claim

The home of a woman charged with poisoning her former parents-in-law has been broken into several times, according to friends.

The South Gippsland home of accused murderer Erin Patterson was allegedly broken into on Christmas Day, with the thief caught on CCTV.

According to a post shared on a local community group by Ms Patterson’s friend, the 49-year-old’s Leongatha home has been broken into three times “over the last month or so”, the most recent on Christmas morning.

CCTV of a man approaching the house. Picture: Facebook

The friend said the home had been broken into three times over the past month. Picture: Facebook

“I have finally been able to retrieve CCTV footage from the 2nd time they broke into the property and removed all the outside cameras,” the post read.

“Police caught a couple of offenders from the first burglary where they stole a heap of things and we are now thinking they took all spare keys, car keys etc and were not retrieved by the police at the time.”

Erin Patterson is alleged to have served a lunch that killed three people in July. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Ian Currie

Ms Patterson’s friend shared screenshots of the alleged thief, who was caught by the home’s security cameras.

In the photos, the man is wearing a long-sleeved black shirt, a black hat with a blue, red and white logo, plus a face covering obscuring his face.

“They have obviously passed the keys onto mates to come and go from the house as they please,” the friend continued.

“I have attached a couple of pics from the CCTV footage, the pics are very clear and I am sure you will be able to recognise.”

Ms Patterson is in custody at the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Valeriu Campan

Ms Patterson is being held in the maximum security Dame Phyllis Frost Centre prison while she awaits trial after she was charged with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder from a fatal mushroom lunch served at her Leongatha home in July.

She is accused of killing her former parents-in-law Don and Gail Patterson and Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson, who died from symptoms consistent with death-cap mushroom poisoning after the lunch.

The sole survivor of the lunch was Ms Wilkinson’s husband Ian, who recovered after he was hospitalised after the meal.

Victoria Police has been contacted for comment.