Tauranga woman's locket containing late grandfather's photo stolen from home

A Tauranga woman is pleading for the return of an "irreplaceable" silver locket containing a photograph of her late grandad that was stolen in a burglary.

Kimberley Bishopp's home on Waihi Rd was broken into sometime between July 8 and 9 while she and her children were holidaying in Auckland.

Police say the offender broke into the home and took jewellery, a cash box and two iPads.

That included a special sterling silver locket given to Bishopp by her grandparents from England when she was 13.

The locket contains a photo of Bishopp's grandfather who died about 10 years ago and has a small piece of Blu Tack holding it together.

"It is an old piece. I have had it for a long time. It is sentimental. The lock was my saving grace," she said.

"The iPads can be replaced but the jewellery can't," she said. "I am gutted."

Bishopp said a ring, a Pandora bracelet with about 10 charms on it, multiple silver chains and a pendant with an amethyst had also been stolen.

"Out of everything, even the more expensive items, this one is very sentimental and irreplaceable," she said.

The Tauranga mother said her friend was house-sitting for her when the break-in happened.

Bishopp said when her friend popped in to feed the cat about 3.30pm on July 9, she found the door had been left open.

"My bedroom had been trashed. They had gone through my kids' things and my daughter's jewellery box," Bishopp said.

"So we packed up our holiday and came home early."

Bishopp said when the cat returned after going missing for a few hours, "he was a bit jumpy".

"He must have got spooked," she said.

There were also marks on the door frame where it appeared someone had used a crowbar or tool to jam the door open, Bishopp said.

"My house is quite far back from the road. I have been here for a long time. My kids have grown up in this house," she said. "It is unsettling."

A police media spokeswoman confirmed police received a report of a burglary on Waihi Rd, which happened sometime between July 8 and 9.

"The offender broke into the home and took jewellery, a cash box and two iPads," the spokeswoman said.

Police would like to hear from anyone who saw anything suspicious in the Waihi Rd area between July 8 and 9.