A family in Sale lost £20,000 worth of gold jewellery in a burglary that occurred while they celebrated the 27th night of Ramadan, known as the Night of Power, one of the holiest nights in the Islamic calendar. Wassim, 43, shares the home with his wife and two children, aged 10 and five. Burglars smashed through the French doors into the living room on March 15 evening, ransacked the bedrooms, and targeted a rucksack hidden in a drawer under the bed containing deeply sentimental items, including his wife’s wedding and engagement rings and pieces bought to mark their children’s births.
The Discovery
The family had left for a friend’s house around 6pm to break their fast and returned briefly at 9pm before heading to the mosque. Wassim recounts carrying meals into the kitchen without noticing anything amiss at first. “My wife started screaming and said ‘someone has been in here,'” he shares. “I saw muddy footprints on the carpet. They broke the wardrobe door in my room, scattering everything. There was no indication the bag held gold, yet they searched thoroughly.”
Family Impact
The intrusion has left the family shaken. “My wife was in tears,” Wassim says. His five-year-old daughter now suffers nightmares and sleeps with her parents. “I’ve worked in warzones and came to the UK for peace and safety with my family. This has shocked us deeply,” he adds.
Police Response and Evidence
Officers arrived within 15 minutes, with forensics following the next day. Sources indicate the case is closed pending any identifications from forensic analysis. Neighboring cameras captured two suspects climbing over five gardens, breaching the fence, and fleeing around 7:45pm. The thieves ignored laptops and mobile phones, focusing solely on the gold.
Suspected Targeting
Wassim believes the timing was deliberate. “They know after 6pm we break our fast and after 8:30pm we pray at the mosque. Why take the risk otherwise? At other times, families are home,” he states. He is convinced burglars specifically sought family gold, common in Asian communities for its high purity and generational value. Greater Manchester Police highlights increased patrols during Ramadan, noting criminals exploit the period when homes are empty to steal such jewellery. Wassim reports similar incidents in Birmingham, Nottingham, and London, voicing surprise at the pattern.
