Elderly couple robbed in their north Belfast home

An elderly couple that were robbed in their home in north Belfast by a gang of five men are said to be in deep shock.

The couple were subjected to what police have described as a “terrifying ordeal”.

They were threatened during a robbery in north Belfast late on Monday January 21.

The couple were tricked into letting the robbers into their house. Five men came to the house in Kilcoole in Ballysillan posing as police officers. After being allowed in, they produced screwdrivers and threatened the couple, slapping them about the face.

Police said the man, who is in his 80s, and the woman, in her 70s, were subjected to a terrible ordeal and were extremely distressed by the episode.

Reverend Stuart Heaney who knows the couple said the attack was the latest episode in a string of a lawlessness which was becoming more characteristic of north Belfast: He said: “This attack on two very old people, who are both ill and with fairly serious debilitating illnesses has to be condemned. This couple is very vulnerable, and robbing the couple of what little money they had obviously didn’t require an awful lot of courage from these bully boys.”

The robbers escaped with money. One of them is being described as a man in his 40s.

The other four were described as young males and had their faces covered.

Police at Antrim Road in Belfast have issued an appeal for information about the robbery. (AMcE)