A heartless thief has left a young Australian girl and her single father devastated.
He robbed them of all their Christmas presents and the joy of the season, but he was caught on camera.
For Cadence Arnold and her dad Daniel, Christmas is normally the most wonderful time of the year. But not this year, after a thief stole their presents and peace of mind.
"Just the invasion," Daniel said. "It's going to take a lot for her to get through it."
They arrived at their Ipswich, Queensland home earlier this week to find the gifts that were wrapped under the tree all gone.
"I was like where are all the presents? Where are all the presents," Cadence, who has Asperger's, said.
The thief broke in through the 11-year-old's bedroom window, stole her pocket money and then the presents.
"I think that's very mean to come in and rob all the presents... that's cruel," Cadence said.
"It's been hard... I was too scared to sleep in my own bed last night."
Daniel is a single father and her full-time carer. An iPod was also taken that she uses to play special music to help her sleep. The Christmas thief used a sheet as a sack to carry the loot.
As a deterrent Mr Arnold has now put posters up all around the house warning the thief: "If you're thinking about trying again, forget it, the police have your image."
"We'll still have a nice Christmas, even if we can't replace all those presents," Cadence said.
"It's not the gift, it's the thought that counts."
7 News
