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Petrified children woken by burglar prowling through their Dover home

A pregnant mother has told of the moment a burglar crept into her children’s bedroom.

Kirsty Hammond’s petrified daughter Freya, seven, was woken but pretended to be asleep as the intruder moved through the house.

He woke up Freya’s parents, fled, and was chased by Miss Hammond’s fiancé, Chris Farmer, 29.

Chris Farmer and partner Kirsty Hammond with children Freya (8) and George (4), who are still frightened by their encounter with a burglar. Picture: Paul Amos
Chris Farmer and partner Kirsty Hammond with children Freya (8) and George (4), who are still frightened by their encounter with a burglar. Picture: Paul Amos

Miss Hammond, 27, said: “Both children are now scared and are finding it hard to settle down for bed. It scared all of us and has put us on edge.

“Chris and I now are absolutely fuming. I would just like to warn anybody who lives in my neighbourhood what has happened.”

The intruder had climbed into the family home in Wycherley Close, Dover, at about 11pm on Wednesday last week, through the children’s bedroom.

Miss Hammond, who is 13 weeks pregnant, has now learned that Freya had seen the burglar looking over her to check if she was asleep before moving on to the rest of the house.

He went downstairs, firstly to the kitchen, and took a knife. He then went into the living room where Mr Farmer was asleep.

Miss Hammond believes that the raider had been “spooked” by seeing him there and fled, slamming the front door, waking up the entire household. Mr Farmer got up and chased him into the street.

The noise from the front door had woken the couple’s second child, George, four, who had been fast asleep when the burglar was inside his bedroom.

The family is still worried. Picture: Paul Amos
The family is still worried. Picture: Paul Amos

Miss Hammond had been in her own bedroom when she was woken and said: “I heard a lot of banging and then my children’s baby gate and the front door slam.

“I ran out of my bedroom and out of the front door and there was a man wearing a white hoodie running down my front porch steps.

“I ran into the kids’ bedroom and found their windows and curtains wide open. He had moved their toys to get in.”

The stolen knife was later found in nearby Sheridan Road and has been taken by police.
Police spokesman Steve Knight said: “Police were called at 11.13pm to a report of a burglary in the area of The Linces, Dover.

“Officers attended but the suspect, described as a white man wearing a white hooded top and black trousers, was not located.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 01843 222289 quoting reference 28-1592.

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