A Dunedin woman hopes heirloom jewellery stolen from her Andersons Bay home will be returned.
The 49-year-old, who asked to remain anonymous, hid antique jewellery passed down by generations of family members behind a false wall in her garage, where she thought it would be safe.
But this month she discovered the precious items were gone.
Also missing was an old family tree book, originally handwritten in 1865 and which she had worked on for a decade.
It contained information about her family not available anywhere else.
Parts of the book were written in French and Latin, and it included detailed drawings and descriptions of family crests.
The jewellery was collectively worth about $10,000, but had more sentimental value, she said.
One of the more distinctive pieces was a necklace with five greenstone pendants set in 18-carat gold.
A string of Mikimoto pearls, given to the woman's grandmother on her wedding day, was also taken, as was her husband's gold wedding ring.
''He's allergic to gold.''
The woman said a gold locket given to her daughter on her first birthday by her grandparents was missing, as well as a gold locket with a lock of her grandfather's hair in it, which had his initials engraved on the front.
A set of gold cufflinks, a gold belcher chain and earrings were also among the lost valuables.
The woman had contacted Dunedin antique dealers but none had seen the jewellery or the family tree book.
Senior Constable Mal Parker said it was a ''reasonably extensive'' theft of antique heirlooms.
The sentimental value to the owner of the jewellery and family tree book meant the items were irreplaceable, he said.
''It would be really nice if someone had a conscience and returned the stuff or let police know where it is,'' he said.
