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An audacious thief who spent almost an hour casually raiding a family's garage of more than £4,000 of gym equipment, a bike and tools.
The break-in happened in the early hours of Friday in Hasteds, in Hollingbourne, while Patrick Zimmermann, his wife Angela, and their two children were asleep.
Mr Zimmermann woke to notifications from his Ring doorbell which captured some of the thief’s movements on CCTV between 1.30am and 2.20am.
The 37-year-old said: “My wife and I were out training and we got back just after 11pm.
“We relieved the babysitter and went to bed and woke up the next morning to loads of notifications.
“When we looked at the CCTV we saw someone had stolen from the garage and when I had a look they’d taken the punch bag and boxing equipment, tools, my son’s electric bike and my motorbike jacket.
“My wife is a personal trainer and that’s how she makes a living.
“I come from a very poor background and I was homeless at one point growing up so I have worked incredibly hard my whole life to get to where I am now, to have someone break into my property is violating.
“They managed to navigate my property quietly for 40 minutes walking my stuff off the drive and dumping it at the end of the road and then getting a car to come and collect it.”
The Zimmermanns reported the break-in to police, who have since made an arrest, but the ordeal has left the family worried about security.
Mr Zimmermann, who works in software sales, added: “I’ve not slept properly because things keep going through my mind about what would have happened if I’d woken up.
"We’re now having automatic gates fitted on the house and I've just bought a guard dog puppy."
Hollingbourne Parish Council sent out a reminder for people to be vigilant following the break-in.
It said: "Villagers are reminded to be extremely careful as the nights draw in as a home in Hasteds was robbed overnight, and cars broken into in Godfrey Meadow at around 1.40 to 2.20am."
A 32-year-old man of no fixed address was arrested on suspicion of the burglary, thefts from vehicles in the Swale area and possession of Class B drugs. He was later released pending further investigation.
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