Thief raids home as dad lies paralysed

The burglar broke into Dale Shooter's home in Musgrave Road, Shirecliffe, during the early hours of the morning.

And as Dale, who recently suffered a massive stroke, lay on a bed downstairs the burglar went about his sickening work.

Dale's wife Michelle and son Steven were both asleep upstairs.

At first when civil servant Dale, aged 47, woke he thought it was Steven getting up to go to work.

But when the man walked into the front room he realised his home was being burgled – and he was forced to watch helplessly as the heartless thief ransacked his home.

Since his stroke, Dale has been left paralysed down one side and unable to speak.

He lay terrified in his bed as he watched the burglar search his home for valuables – even taking his wedding ring, gold bracelet, glasses and MP3 player which had been left by his bed.

The burglar also took a digital camera, three watches and Steven's wallet and car keys and then loaded the haul into hisVauxhall Corsa and drove away.

The car was later found abandoned in Masters Road, Parson Cross.

Today Michelle appealed for the return of the digital camera memory card: "It contains some wonderful memories for Dale including pictures of his grandchild who he dotes upon. He's so upset that it has gone. We know it is unlikely that we will get the valuable stuff back but getting the memory card back would mean so much."

Michelle said her husband was feeling low and frustrated that he was unable to get up from his sick bed to confront the burglar: "There wasn't a thing he could do. And to think that the burglar must have known Dale was there in the room makes things even worse."

Anyone with information should contact Det Con Alex Kirby on 0114 296 4775 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.