A late Vietnam War veteran’s home was burglarized the same day that he was laid to rest, according to a report.
Sgt. Patrick ‘Rick’ Jacobus, who served as a flight navigator in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, died in early January in Houston after battling cancer.
His family held a funeral service on Thursday — the same day that a burglar broke into his home, Click2Houston reported.
The ski-mask-clad burglar stole items of sentimental value, his family said.
“My heart sank,” Anne Engelbrecht, Jacobus’ daughter, told the outlet. She was sucker-punched by the burglar.
“It just hurt,” she said. “It’s such a violation and it’s just something I wanted to remember him by, you know? And I don’t have that.”
She was especially hurt because the stranger took items that had little monetary value, but were invaluable to his family, including his military uniform, his bomber jacket and his vintage coin collection.
“They also took the food that was in the fridge. They took the water and paper towels, like, just weird things,” Engelbrecht added.
She didn’t recognize the burglar, who was caught on neighbors’ security cameras.
He had apparently been checking on the front door multiple times across different nights, neighbors told the outlet.
He even covered up one neighbor’s Ring security camera before breaking into the late sergeant’s home.
“I really didn’t pay attention to them until he started covering up my door ring camera,” the neighbor said, who noticed him spray-painting the camera in the wee hours of Thursday morning.
Engelbrecht understands she probably won’t see those coins again, but she said she still hopes to see some of her father’s possessions one day.
She told the outlet: “I just want my dad’s uniform back, and I want that bomber jacket back to get my son.”
He passed away on January 8 at 80 years old, according to an online obituary: “Rick’s passing is a profound loss, but his spirit will forever remain a guiding light in our lives. We are grateful for the time we shared with him and the indelible mark he left on our hearts.”
