PETALING JAYA: Numerous keepsakes with a special meaning to Subramaniam Harihar, 79, have been stolen after his house was broken into four times in the past three weeks.
The veteran journalist has been left heartbroken and traumatised after valuables like silverware, brass lamps, watches and other items worth more than RM100,000 were lost during the multiple break-ins at his home here.
What is worse is that these items are priceless as they are a reminder of his wife, who passed away in 2014.
"These items hold sentimental value to me as they remind me of my wife and my various travels for work as a foreign correspondent.
"Since my wife passed I have been living there with my sister.
"My sister is in the hospital as she is unwell and I have been experiencing breathing difficulties due to pulmonary fibrosis.
"I have been staying at a friend's place for the past six weeks but I go back to my house every day to check on it.
"We are lucky we were not there during the break-ins," he said on Friday (Aug 5).
Subramaniam said the first break-in was on July 14, followed by the second on July 31 and the third on Aug 1.
"The most recent break-in was Thursday (Aug 4), probably at night.
"I have yet to go to the house today but my friend said the door is open, which means someone has broken in again," he said.
The house was said to be in disarray as the thieves broke cupboards, removed clothes from shelves, and emptied drawers.
"I do not keep gold or much money at home so they could only take silverware and other items.
"They stole six watches that were dear to me," he said.
Subramaniam said he made a police report after each of the first three break-ins but this time he was too tired to do so.
"I have to sit for hours waiting to make a report and there have still been break-ins.
"With my health condition I now work from home and need to rest," he said.
He said he would no longer be able to go back to the house and live there as it gives him anxiety even thinking about being inside.
"I am devastated as I have lived there for over 45 years and it reminds me of my wife.
"These valuables were collected together, and things that were passed down to us.
"Some were things I bought during my stints as a correspondent in New York, Indonesia, India, Vietnam and other countries.
"My wife could only visit me during holidays as she was a school teacher, so some items that were stolen hold memories of what little time I had with her when we travelled," he said.
