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Charlotte Robertson is looking forward to marrying the love of her life this Saturday - but just days before the couple are set to tie the knot, their wedding rings have been stolen in a burglary.
Robertson, 33, and her fiancé, who did not wish to be named, hadstored their wedding bands in a safe at her father’s home in Auckland’s North Shore. They were counting down the days until they would exchange them during their wedding ceremony on Saturday.
But on Tuesday, the family home was broken into in broad daylight and the rings were stolen, along with several other items, Robertson said.
“They took a whole lot of stuff, not just these rings,” she told the Herald.
“They were in a secure location, locked in a safe at home, the house was fully secure and the break-in occurred in the middle of the day.
“They broke in, broke into the safe and took the wedding rings for this Saturday. That’s pretty gutting, and then the rest of my family’s stuff - a lot of that got taken as well, it would be at least over $30,000 worth of goods stolen.”
They reported the break-in to police, who Robertson said have been “amazing” in their response so far. Now, they’re looking for replacement rings for the ceremony while hoping their original wedding bands will be found.
In New Zealand, it is not a legal requirement to include the exchange of rings in a wedding ceremony, but Robertson said it was more about the sentimental value.
“This was a really special thing for this weekend. It’s something that we’ve gone and chosen together. We spent ages choosing what we wanted and chose those specific rings for that reason, so it’s just such a shame that someone’s taken that away from us.”
“You work to such a tight budget that forking out another couple of thousand dollars for more wedding bands is not really something you want to be doing,” Robertson says.
“It’s just one of those things that adds to the stress in the week leading up to the event. I mean, it’s a materialistic thing and it’s not going to stop or change the way that our day goes, which is the most important thing.
“But it’s just something that has impacted the excitement and enjoyment leading up to the day.”
Charlotte Robertson's wedding band, left, and her fiance's have been stolen from her family home. Photo / Charlotte Robertson
The rings were not insured, but the couple are waiting to see whether insurance will cover the cost.
Most people don’t think to insure their wedding bands, as the focus is usually on the engagement ring - but Robertson had hoped keeping them in a safe would be enough.
“As soon as you get your engagement ring, you’re wearing it, and so you insure it,” she said.
“It didn’t even cross our minds, something like this happening. It’s kind of like, what are the chances, four days before you get married?”
In the meantime, she and her husband-to-be have gone shopping for security cameras at their own home, and she said it was a small price to pay for the reassurance they bring.
Robertson hoped the rings would be found, but also wanted to warn others to be vigilant.
“From what we know, it’s happening more often, this daylight crime, “ she said.
“Given all the circumstances around the cost of living and people finding themselves struggling, it’s just so sad that people are finding the need to do this to other people and not realising the impact it has on other people’s lives.”
Police confirmed they were in the early stages of an investigation into the burglary of a home in Forrest Hill.
“We have spoken to the occupier and their neighbours and are forming a clear picture of what occurred. No arrests have been made, but we are following positive lines of enquiry.”
