Thieves add to family's pain

Kalv and Sandy Hayer say they want their blue bag back, no questions asked. Photo / Richard Robinson

A handful of photographs and a lock of hair were all the Hayer family had to remember their baby girl Nia by - and now they are gone.

Kalv and Rashpal (Sandy) Hayer are desperate for the return of the mementoes, stolen from their Glendowie home on Monday.

In September, Mr and Mrs Hayer and their 2-year-old daughter Maala moved to New Zealand from Britain after the death of their youngest daughter Nia, hoping the move would help them recover.

Baby Nia died of a hernia shortly after she was born in January last year.

"The only thing we had was a lock of hair and photos," said Mr Hayer.

The items were kept in a small blue luggage bag - similar to a carry-on airline bag - in a cupboard.

In the bag were four photos of Nia - two of her in an incubator and two in her mother's arms - and a lock of hair in a small pouch.

Mrs Hayer and Maala left the house around 9am and did not return until 3pm.

During that time burglars kicked in the front door and stole electronic items and the bag containing the photos and hair.

"It's of no value to them," said Mr Hayer. "We're hoping they have a conscience and drop it off.

"Having recently seen the anniversary of her death, we have now lost all the photos and documents surrounding her tragically short life.

"This loss has caused a great deal of hurt and emotion in particular to my wife, who has only just started to recover from such a grave loss."

The family have put posters up in their neighbourhood but are worried the thieves will not see them.

Mr Hayer said all they wanted was the items returned.