Pensioner robbed of cash for his funeral
Nov 14 2007 by Chris Robinson, The Journal
PENSIONER Don Pape has told of his disgust after a gang of intruders stole his life savings – money he had set aside for his own funeral.
The 78-year-old – the latest victim of a spate of bogus workmen preying on the elderly in the North-East – was robbed in his own home by three men who pinned back his arms as they pocketed the cash.
Intent on catching them, the great-great-great-grandfather gave chase but injured his head when he fell over.
Today Mr Pape, who has lived at his Ferrisdale Way home in Fawdon, Newcastle, for 52 years, makes an appeal to pensioners across the North-East to be on their guard when strangers knock at the door.
Thieves took £2,500 from his home which he had been saving up to pay for his cremation.
He said: “I never thought it would happen to me.
“I should have known to ask for ID because years ago I was in the Neighbourhood Watch. They took my life savings. I had been saving up for my cremation because I was told by the insurers the premiums have been going up so I wanted to make sure there was enough and to put a bit extra away.”
The robbery, around 10.50am on Monday, happened just two hours after Mr Pape had made his weekly trip to the Post Office to collect his pension.
He answered a knock at the door from three men who said there had been a water leak and they needed to check his taps.
But when he invited them in two of them searched the upstairs of his home while the other distracted him downstairs.
“The way they came in I thought they were just workmen,” he added. “I slipped up badly, I’m usually on the ball.
“I had been thinking about my dinner and had been preparing it when I heard a knock at the door.”
One man then put his hands inside the pensioner’s jeans pockets which contained three of his wallets as the other two held away his arms.
“I said to them give them back. He gave me two of them back and I said, ‘No, there were three’. “Then he took them from my hands and left. I tried to run after them but with my legs being bad I couldn’t, lost my step and fell over a mat.”
Seeing his door open, neighbours rushed to Mr Pape’s aide and called the police.
His daughter Linda Gallon, 56, turned up around an hour after the robbery to find police cars in the street and her father’s front door open.
She said: “I thought he was dead, I was just shaking when I saw the police. He has been very lucky, if he had been able to put up a fight he might have come off worse than what he had, especially there being three of them. I think the council should make sure that pensioners’ homes are fitted with a chain lock, just like they are fitted with a smoke alarm.”
Police released a description of the men. One was 5ft 4in, medium build, around 26 years old with short black hair, and was wearing a black three-quarter jacket and blue jeans. The second was dark-skinned, 5ft 6in, medium build, around 36 years old, short black hair with a moustache and the third was 5ft 6in, slim-build, around 24, wearing a light green speckled jacket.
Anyone with information should contact police on 08456 043 043.
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Don’t let anyone into your house without identification
She said: “We urge residents to be vigilant at all times and ensure they check the identity of anyone calling at their home who is unexpected.
“Anyone purporting to be from an agency or organisation will carry an identity card and residents should ask to see this before allowing them in. If they don’t have an identity card or are unwilling to produce one, don’t let them in. Residents, particularly the elderly, should be extra cautious now the dark evenings are here. If they have any concerns or suspicions at all they should not open their door and instead ask the caller to return at a time when they know someone else, such as a relative or friend, will be in the house to offer support.”
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Police not treating incidents as linked
Two elderly women were also targeted by bogus workmen in the West End of Newcastle on Thursday, November 8.
Although these incidents are not being linked police said at this time each one was being thoroughly investigated.
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