Heartless burglars ransack bedroom of missing teenager
Thursday August 21 2008
FORMER Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's mobile number is contained on a laptop that was stolen by burglars who broke into the home of missing teenager Amy Fitzpatrick's Spanish home.
The thieves smashed a window to force their way into the three-bedroom house in the Costa del Sol resort of Riviera del Sol near Fuengirola before ransacking it in their search for cash and jewellery.
Amy's devastated stepdad, Dave Mahon, told yesterday how he returned from the gym to find the teenager's bedroom turned upside down.
The stolen computer had designs of missing posters of Amy on it, as well as hundreds of vital contact numbers that Dave and Amy's mum, Audrey, had amassed during their eight-month search for her.
The thieves also stole jewellery belonging to Dave's mum Kay, who died eight months ago.
The burglars struck between 2pm and 4pm local time yesterday as housewife Audrey (39) was out with a friend and her 38-year-old partner was at the gym.
The couple spent yesterday evening reporting the break-in at the same police station in Fuengirola where they reported Amy missing in January.
Dave said: "They pushed in a window in the TV room to get in. They ransacked the place. We haven't touched Amy's room since she disappeared. It was a shrine to her. They've turned it upside down and pulled all her clothes out of the wardrobe.
Laptop
"The worst thing is they've stolen Audrey's laptop, which she'd been using in the search for Amy. It had everything on it, poster designs, numbers of the Irish ambassador in Spain, even the mobile number of Bertie Ahern who we met in Dublin while he was still the Taoiseach. Losing it is really going to set us back."
Amy's mother Audrey added: "If these people have a heart, I'd urge them to return my laptop. There are numbers on there we'll never be able to recover."
Amy (16) disappeared on New Year's Day after leaving a friend's home in Riviera del Sol where she had baby-sat the night before.
She told her pal she was heading straight home. She vanished without her passport, change of clothes or money.
Police failed to find any trace of her despite a massive search involving hundreds of volunteers.
- Gerard Couzens
