Carnlough family’s trauma after burglary

At around midday on Wednesday June 18, two men confronted the homeowner in the hallway of a house in Croft Avenue, punching the 56-year-old in the face and binding his hands with cable ties.

His 17-year-old granddaughter was in another room in the house at the time and was also tied up. The intruders demanded money from the homeowner before ransacking the property.

The pair then made off on foot down an alleyway in the direction of Croft Grove towards Croft Road. Both males are believed to be in their 40s.

One is thought to have ginger hair and was wearing a checked shirt, while the other had a receding hairline.

Sinn Fein Councillor James McKeown, who knows the family, said that the victims had been left “traumatised” by the incident.

He stated: “The whole family are very shaken by this course of events. The man received quite a severe beating and was badly beaten about the head.

“The young girl is quite popular about the estate and this will have a devastating effect on her.

“I would call on anybody with information to come forward.

“The police were at the scene fairly quickly and there is not really anything more they could have done.I totally condemn this attack. These incidents and acts need to be put in the past.”

Councillor Maureen Morrow added: “It is ridiculous to think that these things are happening in the local area. We need more police to be present on the Coast Road.”

Detectives can be contacted by telephoning 101.