Cllr Allan Bresland MLA – Press Release
At approximately 1.30am on the morning of Thursday 14th May, an elderly couple was viciously attacked and robbed at their home on the Plumbridge Road, Newtownstewart, by a cowardly group consisting of two men and two women.
The male resident heard a knock and the door, and talked with the caller through the door. The caller claimed to need the use of the phone. The resident stated that he did not have a phone in his house, and advised the caller to use the phone in one of the other houses. The caller responded by stating that he would be back.
After hearing this, the resident went back into the bedroom to wake up his wife.   Shortly after doing this, there was a loud bang, and the caller was standing beside the resident, wearing a balaclava. The resident, fearing for the safety of himself and his wife, attempted to defend himself and knocked the intruder to the ground. When he was on the ground, the resident removed the balaclava and discovered a number of distinguishing marks on the intruder.
Shortly after knocking the intruder to the ground, two women and another man set upon the elderly resident. The man, armed with a knife, brutally cut the arms of the elderly resident, before threatening to cut off his ear if he did not tell the group where he kept his money.
The group, after their cowardly and violent attack on an elderly couple, made off with around £400 in cash.
I want to condemn this robbery. There is no excuse for attacking and threatening an elderly man and his wife. The PSNI have been informed and I am confident that they will track down and arrest those responsible in a quick and professional manner.
I appeal for anyone with information relating to this to come forward and assist in the apprehension of these vicious criminals.