Rockhampton police have confirmed several "highly sentimental" items have been stolen from a residence where a 71-year-old woman was allegedly murdered, leaving her family "devastated".
On August 21, Susan Margaret Duffy was found by police deceased at an address on West Street in Allenstown.
The following day Rockhampton man Portmoresbey Cecil was charged with one count of murder, as a domestic violence offence, for Ms Duffy's death.
Ms Duffy's home was one of three crime scenes being investigated by police for several days last week.
Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Kevin Mawdsley said after a crime scene clean-up last Wednesday, officers then "conducted a handover" with Ms Duffy's family.
"Unfortunately, sometime overnight from Wednesday the 24th until Thursday the 25th of August, a break and enter occurred at that residence," Senior Sergeant Mawdsley said.
"Family members of Susan Duffy attended the residence that morning and discovered the break-in.
"It has been identified that a number of jewellery items and other personal items, belonging to not only Susan Duffy but immediate members of her family, were stolen ... during that offence."
'Kick in the guts'
Senior Sergeant Mawdsley said the family was devastated by the theft.
"During the course of the handover to the family the premises was secured, the family were informed of that, they were satisfied, as were we, that it was secured," he said.
He said it was understandable the family chose not to return to the home that night.
"It wasn't imagined or contemplated that they would be the victims of a burglary offence that evening," he said.
"[The family] didn't think they could be any more devastated than what they were prior to this … this has just been another kick in the guts for them.
"They're in the lowest point of their lives, dealing with something that for any family to deal with would be difficult, but to now have to deal with this, it's devastating."
Some items recovered
Senior Sergeant Mawdsley said police recovered some of the stolen items on Friday morning, during the search of another residence in Allenstown.
However, no-one has been charged over the theft, and some of the items are still missing.
"They are not only valuable from a monetary point of view, but more importantly for the family they are highly sentimental items," he said.
"We are aware that there are people out in the community who know where these items of property are, and I'm appealing to any person in the community who is aware of where these items of property are to make contact with police."
Senior Sergeant Mawdsley said anonymous information could be provided to Crime Stoppers.
"The investigation of the burglary is a priority but what's more of a priority for us is recovering the property items for the family," he said.
"It is entirely possible that this was an opportunistic crime [and] the persons who committed this offence were not aware of the homicide investigation.
"We're mindful of that fact and for that reason the primary goal is to recover items of property."
Anyone with more information, or dash cam footage of the area that evening, is encouraged to contact police.
Senior Sergeant Mawdsley said the murder investigation was ongoing.
Police last week appealed for information from the public on the possible location of a jumper they believed to be "of significance to the homicide investigation".
It was subsequently found.
Following a hearing last week, the court case for the murder has been adjourned until November 16.
