73-Year-Old Woman Tortured During Burglary

A 73-year-old woman was held captive and tortured when two burglars forced their way into her home, in an ordeal the victim has described as “sheer hell”.

Francoise Jansen was alone at her home on a private estate in St George's Hill, Weybridge, Surrey, when a pair of masked men forced their way into the property at around 10.50pm last Friday.

She was forced to open a safe before the men, dressed in black clothes and balaclavas, took jewellery and personal items worth a reported £150,000.

The burglars poured boiling water over her arm after she attempted to press a panic alarm installed in her bedroom. She has also said she was gagged, waterboarded and tied to a radiator during the assault.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Jensen said: "They asked me if I had any grandchildren. I told them I had 10 and they said: 'We are going to kill you, do you think your grandchildren will miss you?'

"I was consumed by fear. It was sheer hell and all I can remember is praying."

When she failed to open a second safe, the burglars tied her hands behind her back and made her lie in her bath where a water-drenched towel was wrapped around her face a number of times to simulate drowning.

Jansen continued: "Then they tied me to the towel rail with cable they had ripped from a nearby radio. They cut off my trousers and T-shirt with scissors.

"I was trembling because I thought they were going to rape me and I just kept praying.

"I was semi-conscious but eventually I realised they were gone and I had to bite myself out of the wires to get free."

Detective Inspector Jake Nuttall, who is leading the investigation, said: "This was an appalling, unprovoked attack on a defenceless, elderly woman in her own home and Surrey police is carrying out a thorough and extensive investigation to bring these cowardly offenders to justice.

"The victim sustained injuries to her wrists, arms and shoulders during the attack but fortunately she is expected to make a full recovery. She has understandably been left deeply upset by this horrendous ordeal.

"This type of senseless violence will not be tolerated and I would urge anyone who may have seen or heard anything out of the ordinary in St George's Hill late on Friday night into the early hours of Saturday morning to call police as a matter of urgency."

Anyone who witnessed the burglary or has any information should call Surrey police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

(H/GK)