Intruders ransacked a home, opened a family’s Christmas presents and stole sentimental jewellery.

The theft happened on Saturday at Rosie Boosey’s home in Laburnum Place, Sittingbourne.

The 25-year-old says among the items stolen were two charm bracelets, wedding rings and a watch.

She left the house at around 2pm to go to work and, when she returned at around 7.20pm, the door was still shut.

She said: “They got in by using a screwdriver to get in the front door and closed it again.

“But when I got in, the filing cabinet was all over the floor and all of these storage pots had been gone through.

“Both bedrooms had been searched and mum’s jewellery drawers had been emptied.”

Rosie’s grandmother, who has been battling cancer, recently passed on the items.

One bracelet is thought to be more than 100 years old, and both have distinctive charms. As well as taking the items, thieves also opened the family’s Christmas presents, looking for more valuable items.

The support worker said: “The shock of someone being in our house is awful – we’re devastated.”

Forensic teams arrived at the house and searched for prints but only found glove marks.

Officers are making jewellery shops in the area aware.

According to Rosie, the road has had a long list of problems.

She said: “About two years ago we had a garden chiminea stolen and since then a few doors down got broken into.

“My ex-boyfriend had bike wheels stolen and then was beaten up in the alleyway a couple of weeks ago.”

She is now hoping to get CCTV installed in the area, especially in the underpass from Laburnum Place to Charlotte Street, which goes under the railway line. She added: “It’s really got worse recently.

“I’m hoping to speak to residents and get together a list of incidents.”