Woman, 92, finds raider in home (From Gazette)

Woman, 92, finds raider in home

8:00am Saturday 4th February 2012 in Local News By James Cox

AN elderly woman has spoken of her terror at waking to find a burglar in her bungalow.

Joyce Hooker, 92, said she was too scared to sleep after discovering the man in her home in Barbrook Lane, Tiptree.

Gutsy Joyce screamed at the intruder to get out of her home – and he fled. She later discovered he had stolen a jewellery box containing three valuable necklaces she had intended to leave to her granddaughters.

The burglar also took a wallet containing about £170 during the raid yesterday at 2.50am.

Mrs Hooker said: “I must have been disturbed by noise because I woke up and found this chap going through my draw. I just reacted in fear because I shouted ‘get out’ and he ran away.

“It was so scary, I can’t describe it. I won’t be sleeping tonight.”

The burglar gained access by stealing a key kept on an outside wall in a combination-locked box.

The boxes are provided to elderly residents to allow access to their property in an emergency. Codes to the boxes are only known to the homeowner and the wardens.

Mrs Hooker said residents should stop using them immedately.

She said: “They should get them taken down before they target them. He left the key in the lock when he ran.”

Police have appealed for witnesses after two more burglaries were reported in Vine Road, on the other side of the village, on the same night.

Two more residents in their nineties were targeted.

Essex Police said a handbag and purse were stolen at one address and a search was carried out at the other address. The force has designated the neighbourhood enforcement team to investigate.

Mrs Hooker has appealed for the return of her necklaces.

One is a plain gold chain, another is gold with a cross and another silver with a cross pendant.

Anyone with information can call Det Insp Terri Hooke at Colchester police on 101.