Two pensioners robbed during separate incidents

Police have appealed for information after two pensioners were robbed during separate incidents yesterday evening.

The first robbery happened at around 3pm, when a man called to the home of man aged in his 80s in Newtownbreda Road area of Castlereagh in east Belfast.

The man, who is said to have had a Belfast accent, engaged the pensioner in conversation, until four others, who are said to have had foreign accents, arrived at the scene.

The pensioner was knocked to the ground and one of the men held him down in the living room of his home, while the other four ransacked the property.

The robbers then made off with a sum of cash and personal papers in what is thought to have been a silver coloured Ford Focus car.

The pensioner was uninjured, however was left badly shaken by the ordeal.

In a separate incident in west Belfast, three men called to the home of a woman aged in her 70s, in the Riverdale area at around 7pm.

The men forced entry into the property, and one of them held the pensioner down while the others searched her house, before making off with a sum of cash.

The woman sustained bruising to her wrists, and was left badly shaken.

Police have asked for anyone who may have witnessed either incident or with any information in connection with them, to contact detectives on 0845 600 8000, or anonymously on the Crimestoppers number on 0800 555 111.