Couple applying for citizenship appealing for return of passports stolen during raid on Co Kildare home

A couple in the process of applying for Irish citizenship are traumatised by raiders  that ransacked their Co Kildare home, fleeing with their passports.

Speaking to KildareNow, Debbie Van der Risst, described the sense of discomfort she now feels after her home at Feighcullen, Rathangan, was targeted by burglars, on Monday last.

The South -African native, who has been living in Ireland, for the past 15-years, also holds an Irish passport. Raiders escaped with her passport along with her husband Willem's, who holds a South African one.

Meanwhile, raiders fled with a bicycle that Debbie had only purchased two days before. A Canon camera was also stolen.

The couple returned to their home at about 6.30p.m. to see that a window was opened.

She said: "It is very distressing. I am more worried about the passports than anythingelse. I now feel very uncomfortable being in my home, it is not a nice feeling. There were lots of drawers opened up, stuff was thrown around, they stood on a bracelet my mother gave me."