Traci Clark recently returned to her Sixth Avenue home to find it ransacked. Burglars had made off with about $6,000 worth of items ranging from a laptop computer to a twin bed to a bathroom soap dispenser.

Clark said the break-in occurred sometime between Sunday evening and 8 a.m. Monday morning.

According to Helena Police Lt. Steve Hagen, the culprits n it is figured more than one person was involved in the crime due to the amount of goods taken -- broke a window near the home's back door in order to gain access.

Hagen said the sheer volume of items taken makes this burglary unusual. Detectives are currently investigating this break-in on the 1000 block of E. Sixth Avenue and a few others in the city this week.

Clark said many of the items were extremely personal and sentimental, including her mother's diamond ring, an opal her mother gave her for graduation and other family heirlooms.

"It hits you on a personal level. What they took was my core," she said.

Clark has been preparing to move and had much of her belongings in boxes. She had moving sales the past two weekends but left her most important items inaccessible to prospective buyers. It was mainly these personal goods that were stolen, she said.

No one was home when the break-in occurred.

The culprits stole clothing belonging to Clark and her two daughters, an antique dresser, a digital camera, an iPod, a birdbath, various food items and even the toothpaste.

"My 11-year-old and I were walking through in a state of shock. She grabbed me as I processed all the things I lost. Then she saw what she lost and burst into tears," Clark said.

Clark's neighbors did not report seeing anything suspicious that night. She urges Helenans to heighten their awareness of what is going on in their community in order to help law enforcement officer better investigate.

Clark said she has heard that criminals often discard what they see as invaluable to them but these items may be very important to her. She encourages anyone who sees anything suspicious in their neighborhood dumpsters to call police.

Anyone with information is urged to call police at 447-8486 or leave an anonymous tip at

443-2000.

Angela Brandt: 447-4078 or angela.brandt@helenair.com