Elderly couple robbed on 59th anniversary
COOS BAY, Ore.-- An elderly couple visiting Salem to celebrate their 59th wedding anniversary returned home two days later to find their home torn apart by thieves.
Seymour and Betty Glassman noticed something was wrong the minute they walked in the door.
"I came into the kitchen and it was a whole mess," Seymour said. "I said something's wrong here. My wife never leaves the kitchen like this. It's always been perfect."
And Seymour was right.
While in Salem for a simple overnight trip that included a doctor's appointment and anniversary celebration, theives went room by room and had their way with the couple's belongings.
"Police looked around and told us, the theives had been here a while," Seymour said.
"I walked in the bathroom, and sitting in the toilet was their unflushed urine and they even left some all over the floor," Betty said. "Later we'd open the fridge and find out that they had drank a bottle of wine that was given to us for our anniversary that we were saving to celebrate."
But a bottle of wine is a minor thing compared to what was taken in the house.
Jewlery, electronics, family heirlooms and memorbilia that is only sentimental in value was all taken from the home.
Some items taken from the house that were large were dumped in a neighbors yard, including Seymour's stamp collection that he has been adding to most of his 84-year-old life.
"My stamp collection, you idiots, you just take anything and just completely destory it," he said so upset his hands were shaking as he showed the two books that had been recoverd but were visibly damaged. "And you don't even know if it has value, but you take it and then you dump it."
Seymour held up his wife's tattered and now empty jewlery box. Thieves ripped the sides off it just in case anything was being hidden for extra safety.
"Someone gave it to her as a gift on her 16th birthday," Seymour said about his wife's bracelet that was stolen. "These people should be shot, not arrested."
Betty said the thieves also stole her sense of comfort and safety in her home.
"A very erie feeling about it, you know," Betty said. "I come in this house. I look around. I've never done that before. I love my little house. I do, and I feel like a presence that I can't explain... like a ghost."
Betty said she hopes the items stolen can be recovered so she can pass them on to her children and grandchildren as they were passed on to her.
"If you have any humility. If you have any conscience. Please return these precious things to us. They're very dear," Betty said.
The couple is offering a $1,000 reward for the return of their items, and another reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the people who took their items.
The following is a list of items stolen from the Glassman home:
- Toshiba Satelitte M50 and M55- Turquiose in color
- Mac desktop computer
- Bose white radio/CD player
- Gold cuff links with the initials LG
- Hamilton ladies gold watch and diamond band with an inscription to Betty on it
- 24 karat Gold pendent
- 2 gold wedding bands (both 14 karat)
- Opal ring 10-12 opals
- 15 year Mercy Hospital San Diego service pen
- 1 1/3 karat engagment ring from Tiffany's
- 14 karat gold Hamilton ladies watch
- 24 karat Gold pendant with Chinese markings
- Large 18 karat Gold infinity band
- Plantinum wedding band with the inscription 5 years too much
- 14 karat Gold South Sea Pearl
- Seiko watch hospital gift
- 3 Gold Stars of David (1 woman; 2 mens)
- Italian coin bracelet with broken clasp
- Rooster pin with seeded pearls
- Indian jewlery: fetesh necklace, medicone bead, bracelet with 6 Turquiose stones, silver bracelet with Coral and Turqoise
- Picutre Rock Pin on Silver
- Silverware set
- Gold pocket watch
Seymour and Betty Glassman noticed something was wrong the minute they walked in the door.
"I came into the kitchen and it was a whole mess," Seymour said. "I said something's wrong here. My wife never leaves the kitchen like this. It's always been perfect."
And Seymour was right.
While in Salem for a simple overnight trip that included a doctor's appointment and anniversary celebration, theives went room by room and had their way with the couple's belongings.
"Police looked around and told us, the theives had been here a while," Seymour said.
"I walked in the bathroom, and sitting in the toilet was their unflushed urine and they even left some all over the floor," Betty said. "Later we'd open the fridge and find out that they had drank a bottle of wine that was given to us for our anniversary that we were saving to celebrate."
But a bottle of wine is a minor thing compared to what was taken in the house.
Jewlery, electronics, family heirlooms and memorbilia that is only sentimental in value was all taken from the home.
Some items taken from the house that were large were dumped in a neighbors yard, including Seymour's stamp collection that he has been adding to most of his 84-year-old life.
"My stamp collection, you idiots, you just take anything and just completely destory it," he said so upset his hands were shaking as he showed the two books that had been recoverd but were visibly damaged. "And you don't even know if it has value, but you take it and then you dump it."
Seymour held up his wife's tattered and now empty jewlery box. Thieves ripped the sides off it just in case anything was being hidden for extra safety.
"Someone gave it to her as a gift on her 16th birthday," Seymour said about his wife's bracelet that was stolen. "These people should be shot, not arrested."
Betty said the thieves also stole her sense of comfort and safety in her home.
"A very erie feeling about it, you know," Betty said. "I come in this house. I look around. I've never done that before. I love my little house. I do, and I feel like a presence that I can't explain... like a ghost."
Betty said she hopes the items stolen can be recovered so she can pass them on to her children and grandchildren as they were passed on to her.
"If you have any humility. If you have any conscience. Please return these precious things to us. They're very dear," Betty said.
The couple is offering a $1,000 reward for the return of their items, and another reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the people who took their items.
The following is a list of items stolen from the Glassman home:
- Toshiba Satelitte M50 and M55- Turquiose in color
- Mac desktop computer
- Bose white radio/CD player
- Gold cuff links with the initials LG
- Hamilton ladies gold watch and diamond band with an inscription to Betty on it
- 24 karat Gold pendent
- 2 gold wedding bands (both 14 karat)
- Opal ring 10-12 opals
- 15 year Mercy Hospital San Diego service pen
- 1 1/3 karat engagment ring from Tiffany's
- 14 karat gold Hamilton ladies watch
- 24 karat Gold pendant with Chinese markings
- Large 18 karat Gold infinity band
- Plantinum wedding band with the inscription 5 years too much
- 14 karat Gold South Sea Pearl
- Seiko watch hospital gift
- 3 Gold Stars of David (1 woman; 2 mens)
- Italian coin bracelet with broken clasp
- Rooster pin with seeded pearls
- Indian jewlery: fetesh necklace, medicone bead, bracelet with 6 Turquiose stones, silver bracelet with Coral and Turqoise
- Picutre Rock Pin on Silver
- Silverware set
- Gold pocket watch
I hope they catch those disgusting excuse for human beings that did this! I am appalled! It wasn't bad enough to break in and steal...they had to go above and beyond! I am so sorry to the Glassman's. I hope you still enjoyed your getaway and had a wonderful anniversary!
That sad sad sad sad
They weren't robbed. Â They were burgled. Â