Men threaten Kimberley pensioner with knife and ransack her home

A PENSIONER has spoken of her terror after a gang of men burst into her home and threatened her with a knife.

The four thugs pushed Balwinder Dhami over and held her down after she answered a knock at her door on Saturday evening.

The 69-year-old told how they ransacked her bungalow in Kimberley looking for money in the 15-minute raid.

Mrs Dhami, who is just 5ft 5in tall, said one man sprayed her in the face with a detergent to get her to give up more cash.

Landlords - Let Only £195

Zoom Lettings

View details

Print voucher

Landlords let us advertise your property and find you vetted tenants quickly. Our let only service is £195.
We offer full management services as well as rent guarantee and rent advance. Call us

Terms: No hidden charges, you will be informed of all costs in advance. The letting agency you can trust.

Contact: 0115 8969582

Valid until: Sunday, June 30 2013

She also had a knife held to her throat.

She said: “I’ve never known a day like that in my life, it was shocking.

“I was lying on the floor, and they were saying ‘where’s the money, where’s the money?”

The men got away with three gold bangles that Mrs Dhami was wearing on her wrists, a gold necklace they tore from her neck and a small amount of cash from the house.

Son Harnack Dhami called on the public to help police catch the gang. He said: “When I heard what had happened, I just sank to my knees. I thought the shock might kill my mum.

“Nothing like this has ever happened in my life or her life.”

Detectives have launched an appeal for witnesses and say they believe up to four people were involved in the raid, in Bassett Close.

Mr Dhami added: “It’s shocking and sad because of the extent they went to. If anyone knows anything I just want them to contact the police straight away. These people need to be arrested and put behind bars.”

Mr Dhami said his mother was bundled over as the men burst in at about 8pm.

He said: “One guy got a knife from the kitchen and put it to her throat and said if she didn’t give them any cash, they’d kill her. Then they sprayed her in her eyes with the detergent. They kept on threatening her to get her to hand over more.”

He said the men ran away when one of them spotted some neighbours in the street, who had realised something was wrong.

Mr Dhami, 41, from Leicester, added: “The more people who are aware, the more likely they are to be caught.

“We want to stop them – it’s ridiculous what they’ve done, the severity of it.”

Mrs Dhami, a grandmother-of-three, was left with bruising but did not need medical treatment.

A police spokesman said the incident was being investigated as a burglary and asked anyone with information to get in touch. No arrests have been made. Descriptions of the gang are expected to be released in the next few days.

The spokesman added: “Our inquiries are ongoing. The victim was left very shaken by the incident but not injured.”

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.