The robbers made off with items valued at more than $26,000, including wrapped Christmas presents, family heirlooms, tools and sailing gear when they ransacked the family’s shed.

Police said the offenders broke in through the side wall of the shed between 1am and 3.30am on December 2.

Property owner David Stoffels said the family had cancelled a holiday and didn’t know what Christmas was going to look like.

“We’ve got seven kids, so they are heartbroken that all their Christmas presents are gone and we can’t afford to replace them, so it’s going to be a bitter Christmas,” Mr Stoffels said.

“Fortunately the family is safe — when you think about the fact you had people in your home — it’s just terrible.”

The Stoffels’ pet dogs have spent two weeks recovering from the incident, after the offenders sprayed them in the eyes with pepper spray.

Mr Stoffels said his children were now too scared to go outside at night after the attack.

“They also took my grandfather’s handmade carpentry tools that he brought with him from Holland after the war,” he said.

“I would do anything to get my grandfather’s stuff back and to be able to give it to my son, we don’t care about the value — you can never replace it.

“I just don’t want to see it happen to someone else — you wouldn’t wish it upon your own worst enemy.”

Stolen objects include quantum sails with a red and blue seaway logo and the number 280 on them and a large number of tools specific to a Nissan Patrol.

The shed had been broken into previously and police believe the offenders had been to the premises to conduct surveillance.

Detective Sen-Constable Ray Causer, of Wodonga CIU, said the incident was being made public in a bid to catch the perpetrators and recover some of the items.