Pensioner 'traumatised' after being threatened at knife-point by gang in his Lincolnshire home

A pensioner has been left traumatised after being held at knife point in his own home by masked burglars who broke into his house.

Jim Naylor, 81, who lives in Stallingborough in North East Lincolnshire, was startled by the attackers who forced their way into his home after using crowbars to snap the chain and break open the door after he'd turned the key to release the barrel.

Once inside, Jim says the gang of three men held him at knife point, hitting him on the head with a claw hammer whilst asking him where he kept his valuables.

They stole Jim's spare change, some cigarettes and his bank cards, telling him that if he told them the wrong pin number they'd come back and kill him.

The attack left Jim with a bruised head, legs and a broken wrist. He's now terrified after the incident and has been living at a friend's house, feeling uncomfortable in his own home.

He explained: "It was around 1am on Tuesday, 20 December, when I heard a knock at the door.

"At first, I thought it was a friend knocking for help and I'm usually really careful, but I turned the key and then they burst in, using a crowbar to open the door completely.

"I tried to push them back as best I could, but they kept coming and beat me up with the crowbar they'd used to gain entry.

"They started by asking me where I kept my money and all my valuables and when I told them I didn't have any they took the £7 in change that was in my bedroom."

He added: "They kept hitting me with the hammer and then asking me where my safe was, but I don't have one. That's when they pushed me to the floor and became really violent.

"The only way I could get rid of them was to give them my bank cards and tell them my pin numbers. They were holding a knife to my throat and telling me 'I'll come back and kill you if you've given me the wrong numbers'."

The intruders were all dressed in balaclavas with only their eyes and nose on show. The group then demanded Jim gave them his cigarettes and they ended up taking five packs before running out the door.

Jim went to raise the alarm with his next door neighbour who called the police.

He said: "I was traumatised by the whole thing, I just kept thinking that I didn't want to stay in the house anymore.

"I might get over it in the end, but at the minute I'm staying elsewhere. They've ransacked the house and left it in such a state. My life has been completely turned upside down because of this."

He added: "I'm hoping someone can help track this group down. It's normally so quiet here so this has come as such a surprise."

"This is like something out of a horror movie, but I can't believe it's happened in real life. I really thought they were going to kill me."

In a statement, a Humberside Police spokesperson said: "Officers are investigating after we received reports of an aggravated burglary in Stallingborough at around 1am on Tuesday 20 December.

"It was reported that three men gained entry to a property on Healing Road and demanded items from the occupant, before assaulting the occupant and leaving with bank cards and other items.

"The victim was taken to hospital to be checked for injuries. There will be an increased presence from officers from the local Neighbourhood Policing Team to provide additional reassurance.

"Please come and speak to those officers if you have any concerns. Enquiries are ongoing."

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