85-year-old left shaken after being robbed at screwdriver point by balaclava-masked burglars

A man in his 80s was left shaken after being robbed at screwdriver point by balaclava-masked burglars on Friday night.

The pensioner was unable to raise the alarm until Saturday morning as the burglars, a man and a woman, pulled out his telephone cable while ransacking his house.

They made off with cash and the man’s mobile phone.

Detectives in Strand Road are appealing for witnesses following the aggravated burglary at a house in the Maple Road area of Coshquin on Friday, May 12.

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Detective Constable Richard Donnell said: “Sometime between 10pm and 10.30pm, a man and a woman both wearing balaclavas entered the property.

“They confronted the 85 year old male occupant in the doorway to the bathroom, threatening him with a screwdriver and demanding money. The intruders forced the victim into the bathroom where the female held him as the male searched the rest of the house.

“The pair made off with a sum of cash and the resident’s mobile phone after pulling out the property’s landline telephone cable.

“The victim, who was unable to raise the alarm until the following morning, Saturday 13 May, was left very shaken but was physically uninjured.

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“We are appealing to anyone who may have any information to contact police at Strand Road on the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference 463 of the 13/05/17 Or, alternatively if someone would prefer to provide information without giving their details they can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers and speak to them anonymously on 0800 555 111.”