An elderly couple in Birmingham may not be able to perform Hajj after burglars broke into their house to steal their savings.
The Birmingham Mail reports that two thieves burgled their home in Edgbaston while an 85-year-old man was alone watching TV in the living room. The raid occurred as his disabled wife, 80, and their son pulled up outside, while the thieves made off through a side door into an alleyway.
The burglars are believed to have lain watching the family before carrying off a significant amount of jewellery and cash – set aside for the Hajj.
The son said: “We were only gone for around 25 minutes but the burglars must have been watching the house. When we got back my father said two people had been to check the meter, he said one was tall and smartly dressed and there was another guy behind him.
“I was concerned and I went upstairs to find they had turned everything upside down, it was a mess. My mum uses a stairlift and I was glad I got there before they saw the damage.
“The burglars had stolen a huge number of items that belonged to our family as well as cash my parents had been saving for a pilgrimage to the Hajj. We later worked out that they must have seen us through an upstairs window and made their way out into the alley as we came into the house.”
Officers from West Midlands police are investigating.
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A spokesman said: “Police are investigating a burglary at an address in Shenstone Road, Edgbaston, sometime between 10.55-11.25am on Thursday November 8.
“The front door of the property was forced and a quantity of cash and jewellery were taken.” If you have ever been the victim of a break-in and robbery, having a damaged door is a sure way to appear more vulnerable to other thieves, so it’s important you increase your security as well as getting a door repair.
*Anyone with information should contact us via Live Chat at west-midlands.police.uk between 8am to midnight, call 101 anytime or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Quote crime reference number 20BW/260272X/18.
