COVENTRY Police are hunting three heartless robbers who attacked a 92-year-old woman in her home, tried to prise an engagement ring from her finger and fled with more than £1,000.
The ring had been given to her by her late husband.
The trio crowbarred open the victim’s front door in Hockett Street, Cheylesmore, at 2.45pm on Wednesday and stole the cash she had been saving to buy a new three-piece suite.
The three were white, aged in their 30s and all around 5ft 10ins tall.
Detectives have conducted local enquiries and will be examining CCTV in the hope the raiders have been caught on camera.
Det Con Surinder Dadry from Force CID said: “It’s hard to imagine how anyone could sink so low as to assault an elderly woman and forcibly try to rip a piece of sentimental jewellery from their finger.
“The victim’s daughter left the house just minutes before so we’re looking into whether the offenders had been watching the address.
“It was a brazen offence, the men having prized open the front door in the middle of the afternoon.”
He appealed anyone who saw three men in the area acting suspiciously to get in touch and anyone with CCTV or dash cam footage of the area at that time to check it.
“There will be people in the community who suspects who was involved. Has someone you know been boasting about coming into some money or flashing cash around?
“I’d ask those people to look into their consciences and do the right thing and contact us – this victim could have been your elderly mother or grandmother.”
People do not need to give their identity and can submit information anonymously by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Alternatively, call police on 101 or relay information via live chat at west-midlands.police.uk
Police have released the picture of the victim’s bruised and battered hand.
