CCTV footage: Three men rob pensioner in Romford
The 70-year-old woman walking pulling her trolley being followed by three men - Credit: Archant
A 70-year-old woman had her religious necklace torn from around her neck by three men in a terrifying daylight robbery.
The incident, in Carlisle Road, Romford, on Thursday February 7, at 4.30pm, was captured on CCTV - pictures of which have been exclusively obtained by the Recorder this week.
The first image shows the pensioner, who has not been named, pulling her shopping trolley as three men follow her. In the second shocking image, one of the men is seen grabbing the woman and ripping off her necklace.
The next series of frames show the pensioner putting up a fight.
But the last image shows the men running off with their loot in the direction of Victoria Road. The gold necklace had the Hindu word for God written on it.
Resident Lorraine Moss came across the sickening incident on her CCTV camera after seeing a police appeal on the Recorder website.
She said: “I was really surprised when I read the article and it said that it happened in Carlisle Road.
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“It is just really terrible, she is an old lady and it is horrible that they have picked on her like this.”
Lorraine has also hit out against passers-by for not stopping to help.
She said: “We watched it as a whole family and it was just really distressing. We were all holding back the tears. When you look at the footage you can hear her screaming and it is a busy time of the day, but no one stops to help.”
Lorraine installed the camera in 2008 for security reasons. In 2011 police arrested a man and a woman in connection with the theft of charity bags after images were caught on Lorraine’s CCTV camera.
She said: “I have lived her since 1995 and I have never heard of anything like this happening in our road, I hope it helps the police to find these people.”
Investigating officer DC Andy Ferne said “I am hoping that the local community will assist us in catching the people responsible for this loathsome crime. The victim is an elderly vulnerable female who has lost a piece of jewellery with great sentimental value.”
n Anyone with information should call Romford Police Station on 101 or at Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
