A RETIRED couple who had their Newport home ransacked by thieves just a week before Christmas have vowed to “rise up triumphant” in an open letter penned to their burglars.

Steph and Eric Baker left their home for an hour on the evening of Thursday December 18 and returned to find “lovingly-wrapped” Christmas presents and thousands of pounds worth of valuables stolen.

Mrs Baker, a retired nurse, said she has a “empty gut-wrenching feeling” when she thinks about the burglary, but said she her supportive family and friends have helped them to still have a lovely Christmas regardless.

The couple believe the burglars saw them leave their home at 8pm on December 18 and got to work taking £700 worth of presents including a pair of Armani jeans and nearly £6,000 worth of jewellery.

A safe was also ripped off a wall in a wardrobe that contained three expensive watches, including a pocket watch belonging to Mr Baker’s father, a gift from their daughter and a Dior stainless steel watch.

“It’s just disbelief,” Mrs Baker added.

“I know things like this happen in this day and age but when it happens to you, I’ve just got an empty gut-wrenching feeling, every time I sit down and my mind takes off.”

The 64-year-old added her main concern was the Christmas presents she had bought for her two children and five grandchildren.

“For somebody to just come in and think they can just take stuff just because they wanted it with no thought of what the affect their actions would have on other people is heartbreaking,” she added.

Unable to sleep on the morning after the burglary, Mrs Baker wrote a letter to the burglars.

In the letter she said: “People like you are sick, inadequate, cold individuals who get off by boasting about the misery and devastation you cause to decent, loving, hard-working people like us.

“No doubt you had a good laugh when you went back to your stinking, smelly, sordid, possibly drug and alcohol laden hovels to share, sell or swap the proceeds of your crime.

“You won’t care that we and our family and friends are left feeling empty, numb, violated and totally shell shocked after you came to ours to do your Christmas shopping.

“You won’t give a toss that we’re not eating, sleeping and nervous about leaving the house.

“You certainly won’t even consider the fact that we’ve worked all our lives and been honest, reliable, kind and caring members of the human race.

“We will recover from this.

“We will rise up triumphant, knowing that you and people like you will stay down in the gutter where you belong – with the other rats and vermin in this world.

“One last thing, you will all eventually get caught and get your punishment because you will get too cocky and go a step too far.

“When you do the police and the people you’ve upset will be waiting just around the corner.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Gwent Police on 101 quoting 421 18/12/14 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.