Police are searching for three heartless burglars who attacked a 92-year-old woman in her home and tried prising an engagement ring off her finger.
The men struck in Hockett Street, Cheylesmore, at 2.45pm on Wednesday (14 Oct) having crowbarred open the pensioner’s front door.
They assaulted the defenceless woman and tried in vain to remove the diamond ring – given by her late husband – from her finger before fleeing with more than £1,000 in cash.
She had been saving the money to buy a new three-piece suite.
Officers are told the men were white, aged in their 30s and all around 5ft 10ins tall.
Our detectives have conducted local enquiries and will be examining CCTV in the hope the crooks have been caught on camera.
Detective Constable Surinder Dadry from Force CID said: “It’s hard to imagine how anyone could sink so low as to assault an elderly woman and forcibly try to rip a piece of sentimental jewellery from their finger.
“The victim’s daughter left the house just minutes before so we’re looking into whether the offenders had been watching the address.
“It was a brazen offence, the men having prized open the front door in the middle of the afternoon.
“If anyone saw three men in the area acting suspiciously I’d urge them to get in touch. Please check CCTV to see if the offenders have been caught on camera. And I’d ask any motorists driving in the area and have dash-cam to also check their footage.
“There will be people in the community who suspects who was involved. Has someone you know been boasting about coming into some money or flashing cash around?
“I’d ask those people to look into their consciences and do the right thing and contact us; this victim could have been your elderly mother or grandmother.
“People can contact us anonymously; we don’t need callers’ names or contact details, we just want information to help us catch these despicable offenders.”
Anyone with information can call the independent charity Crimestoppers for free on 0800 555111. Calls are anonymous; you won’t be asked your name and calls cannot be traced.