Burglars demand cash from 90-year-old man in raid on house in St Ives

Masked men broke into the homes of elderly people and demanded cash.

The burglaries happened on Tuesday (December 15) in Brook Way, St Ives and St Ives Road, Somersham.

In the first incident, at just after 8pm, two men forced open the door of a mobile home in Brook Way, confronted a woman in her 80s and demanded money.

She told them that she didn’t have any so the men made off with two handbags, one containing approximately £60 cash, and a hat belonging to her late husband, which contained medication.

In the second, detectives believe the same men, plus one other, forced open the back door of the property and confronted the occupant, a man in his 90s, who was in bed.

They demanded money but he sounded a panic alarm and they fled empty-handed.

One of the men was wearing a balaclava and the other a woolly hat pulled over his face. There is no further description of the third man. They possibly left the scene in a small hatchback car.

DC Jo Grant, who is investigating, said: “Both victims are elderly and this was very distressing for them, particularly for the woman as the hat was of great sentimental value. I would appeal for anyone with any information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to contact police.”

Anyone with information should call DC Grant or Detective Sergeant Sarah Sleaford, from the Huntingdonshire burglary team, on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org.

The two incidents came amid a spate of five burglaries which took place between 6pm on Tuesday, December 15, and the early hours of the following morning, in St Ives and the surrounding area.