Men in combat gear rob elderly woman at Lagan Walk

The woman awoke at her home off Warren Gardens to find three men wearing combat style trousers and rubber gloves in her bedroom around 8pm. During the incident the men stopped the woman from activating a panic button to get help.

The raiders, who had got into the house through a front window, made off with a sum of money. They ransacked rooms before making their way upstairs into the bedroom where the woman lay sleeping. They were heard to say they were heading towards Ballymacash.

The police said the woman was left badly shaken and an ambulance was called. The police, who were alerted by Age Concern, made house to house inquiries. One of the neighbours who were spoken to by police said they spotted two men near the woman's home around 3pm on Tuesday afternoon and they seemed to be taking notes.

CSI were called and took samples of footprints in the garden and fibre swabs were also taken. Police dogs were also used.

Lagan Valley MLA Trevor Lunn condemned the robbery.

"This would have been a horrendously traumatic incident," said Mr Lunn. "What sort of thug would push a pensioner around in her home?

"We saw a sickening spate of pensioner robberies before Christmas and we now need to get these thugs off the street immediately. People in the locality are shocked at this sickening incident and never ever want a repeat of it."

Police are appealing to anyone who was in the area and witnessed the house being entered or has any information in relation to this to contact them on 0845 600 8000. Information about crime can also be passed anonymously to the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.