'It's not safe anywhere': Son's anger as dementia sufferer, 87, pinned down and robbed by gang in her West Bromwich home
The son of an 87-year-old dementia sufferer who was pinned down while masked men burgled her home today spoke of his shock and anger.
Harbans Kaur Sagoo was held on the floor by one of the five-strong gang while the others ransacked the house searching for valuables.
A family friend, aged 67, who also lives at the home in West Bromwich, was caught up in the terrifying raid. The gang made off with hundreds of pounds of cash, several rings and a safe containing medication. The victim's son, Dr Hardial Sagoo, revealed his mother had only be discharged from hospital days before the burglary where she had spent the last three weeks.
He said: "This was an absolutely shocking burglary when you look at the number of people who broke in and the fact they held two frail women while they searched for items to take.
"I never thought that in West Bromwich my mum would suffer these kind of things but I guess it is not safe anywhere these days, not with these sorts of people around."
Mrs Sagoo moved to the UK from India in 1961 and settled with her family in West Bromwich.
For a few years she ran her own business sewing Indian clothes before taking a job at the Albion Spring Company in Oldbury.
Her dementia means she is not able to remember her ordeal – but the entire family has been left shaken by the raid.
She added: "Mum has short-term memory loss so she actually cannot remember what happened, which means she has been able to sleep.
"But our family friend who lives with her has been finding it very difficult at night.
"We are ringing two times a day and even yesterday she told me she worries and is really suffering when she goes to bed."
The burglary took place at around 9.30pm on March 30, but details were only released by police yesterday.
Acting Det Sgt Julian Hawley, who is investigating the robbery said: "This was a really traumatic and disturbing ordeal for the victims who were minding their own business in their own home."
Officers are trawling CCTV of the area and have been conducting house to house enquiries. Anyone with information should contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
