A BARRHEAD family have been left devastated after cruel thieves targeted their home, taking presents from under the tree – just a week before Christmas.

Liam Quigley and his wife Angela were heartbroken to discover their home had been ransacked by crooks who smashed their way in through a patio window on Saturday afternoon before making off with jewellery and Christmas gifts.

They also stole mum-of-two Angela’s grey Fiat 500.

The family were one of the first to move into the new Miller estate in Springhill Road, near St Luke’s High School, six months ago and were looking forward to spending their first Christmas there.

However, the heartless thieves have now put a dampener on their celebrations.

Liam, 30, told the Barrhead News: “My wife was actually next door when it happened. She had taken our two daughters to a party at around 4.40pm.

“When she got back, she noticed all the lights were on in the house and then she saw the patio doors were smashed and all the cupboard doors were lying open.

“She immediately took the kids back out of the house to try to hide what had happened.”

Liam and Angela were shattered to find that every bedroom had been raided and presents for their young kids had been pinched from under the Christmas tree, along with valuables including Christening gifts and Angela’s car.

Although the family’s home was fitted with an alarm prior to the incident, they are now forking out on CCTV to improve security.

Police are urging people to and report any suspicious behaviour.

Inspector Bryan McGeogh said: “If anyone spotted anything suspicious, contact us at Barrhead police station on 101.”

UPDATE: Unfortunately Angela's car has since been found burnt out.