The daughter of a 91-year-old Whitewell woman who was subjected to a horrifying ordeal by a gang of burglars has branded the culprits “absolute scumbags”.
Catrina McKernon said her mother, Alice McGreevy, is still badly shaken after her ordeal. At least two men were involved in the ransacking of her home on Thursday last.
“My mother wasn’t long back in her own home because she’d been in a rehabilitation unit after having a fall,” said Catrina. “She was only back in the house about a week and we had made a bedroom downstairs in the front room for her.”
One burglar confronted Alice and demanded her purse while the other went from room to room at her Whitewell Road home.
“They got in by removing a pane of glass from the back window and lifting the latch. We reckon there were at least two of them because there was one in the room with her and the upstairs had been turned over as well.
“She said to him ‘What do you want? I’ll ring the police’, and he just said he wanted her purse and she gave it to him. They left then by the back door.” It was at that point that Alice was then able to raise the alarm.
“My mummy rang the police herself before she rang us. She’s shaken up because as you know yourself, it’s not very nice knowing people have been in your house. She’s lived there 48 years and for somebody to do that – they’re just absolute scumbags. I am furious, whoever did that has a mother or grandmother of their own.”
A PSNI spokesman said at this stage is it unclear if anything other than the contents of the purse was taken.
Constable Michael Burns appealed for information.
“Most people will feel appalled when they read of this terrible crime against a vulnerable member of this local community and I would appeal to anyone who witnessed this incident or who has any information to contact Police at Tennent Street station on the non-emergency number, 101.”
Whitewell Sinn Féin Councillor Tierna Cunning-ham hit out angrily at those responsible. “The burglary of this local 91-year-old woman’s home is utterly shocking and my heart goes out to her,” she said.
