CHRISTMAS STOLEN: Burglars trash family's home a week before the holiday

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BySteve Campion KTRK logo
Wednesday, December 20, 2017
Burglars trash family's home a week before Christmas
Burglars trash family's home a week before the holiday.

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The Pineda family lives in a modest home in northwest Houston off Le Badie Street. Ruben Pineda works as an electrician to provide for his wife Sabrina, three daughters, and young son.



Sabrina Pineda left Monday morning to take the girls to school. Ruben was already on the job. She returned to find her home ransacked.



Crooks smashed through her back sliding glass door and made their way inside the house. They stole televisions, other electronics and most of the kids' Christmas gifts. The little girls' Kindle and Nintendo DS were part of their haul.



"Everything is gone. Everything is gone. My sense of security when I come home. I don't even have that anymore," said Sabrina Pineda. "I don't have that feeling like I want to come home. It's not home anymore. They took that from us."



Ruben Pineda held back tears talking about his family's loss of security. He said they've been saving up for months to buy a new home and make Christmas memorable. In a moment, it was gone.



"It's horrible because my kids don't feel safe. We boarded up the back. I went and bought a camera with motion sensors," said Pineda. "I can't keep my family here. They literally told me 'Dad what if they come back? Can we go to Grandma's house?'"



Eyewitness News Reporter Steve Campion spoke with the family about their loss less than a week before the holiday. He'll report live on Eyewitness News at 5 and 6:30.



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