14/03/2003

Newtownards family assaulted and robbed

Detectives in Newtownards are appealing for information following the robbery and vicious assault of a family in their Co Down home last night.

At around 8.50pm, a woman who was leaving her home on the Bangor Road in Newtownards was pushed back into her kitchen and thrown to the floor by two masked men armed with a hammer and a handgun. On hearing her screams her husband entered the kitchen and he too was pushed onto the floor. The assailants then demanded money.

When the couple’s teenage son entered the kitchen he was struck on the head with a hammer and pushed to the floor. The three were then threatened by the intruders who again demanded money.

One of the intruders then ransacked the house while the second kept the family in the kitchen. All the phones in the house were pulled out and the cables were used to tie the hands and ankles of the family members.

The two men then left the house with a sum of cash, electrical items, jewellery, a mobile phone and the family car – a black BMW 330, which was later recovered in Conlig.

The family, who eventually managed to free themselves and raise the alarm, were taken to hospital where they were treated for their injuries.

Police have urged anyone with information to come forward.

(SP)

Related Northern Ireland News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

21 August 2018
Over 500 Attend Farm First Aid Awareness Training
More than 500 farm family members and employees have attended First Aid Awareness training since March 2018, as part of the Farm Family Key Skills (FFKS) scheme. Up to 100 accidents which need medical attention occur each month on Northern Ireland farms.
01 July 2024
Connswater McDonald's Restaurant Reopens After Refurbishment
The McDonald’s restaurant in Connswater, East Belfast, has reopened after undergoing a £1 million refurbishment. The substantial investment in the newly renovated restaurant is expected to create over 20 additional jobs in the coming months, increasing the total number of employees at the Connswater location to 180.
07 July 2003
Muslim family endure attack on family home
A gang of around ten men has targeted the County Armagh home of a Muslim family in what is thought to have been a racially motivated attack. The attack occurred at around 2.30am on Saturday morning when the family were at home in their house in the Enniskeen area of Craigavon.
21 February 2022
New Domestic Abuse Offences Come Into Force
A number of new domestic abuse offences have come into force in Northern Ireland, with Justice Minister Naomi Long stating that "domestic abuse in all its forms, both physical and non-physical, is wrong and will not be tolerated".
18 January 2022
Public Urged To Talk To Older Family Members About Scams
The PSNI has appealed to the public to talk to their older family members about the dangers of scams, following a rise in phishing text, phone call and Whatsapp messages.