Gang of seven masked men assault man in his 70s and terrify his family in second shocking house raid to hit neighbours of Theresa May and the Clooneys in upmarket Berkshire village
- The balaclava-donning raiders struck as an elderly man opened his front door
- Once inside, woman in her 50s and teenage girl were threatened with weapons
- Victims live yards from Theresa May and George Clooney in Sonning, Berkshire
- A similar raid happened 10 weeks ago, with thieves making off with £50k cash
A gang of seven armed raiders shoved over a man in his 70s and terrorised his family during a robbery on neighbours of Theresa May and the Clooneys.
The balaclava-donning raiders struck as an elderly man opened his front door, pushing past him to get inside and leaving the pensioner with hip and head injuries.
Once inside, a woman aged in her 50s and a teenage girl were threatened by the gang, who searched the detached home and fled with unspecified items.
The victims live just yards from the PM’s constituency home in the upmarket riverside village of Sonning in Berkshire.
The terrifying raid happened just 10 weeks after a similar aggravated burglary in the same village, when a gang used a ladder to climb into a £2million mansion.
The balaclava-donning raiders struck as an elderly man opened his front door in this road, pushing past him to get inside and leaving the pensioner with hip and head injuries
The victims live just yards from Theresa May’s constituency home in the upmarket riverside village of Sonning in Berkshire
The thieves made off with more than £50,000 cash and jewellery and the family’s £57,000 Audi Q7 car.
The gang, brandishing hammers and an axe to terrify the family, who are neighbours of George and Amal Clooney, are yet to be caught.
The men battered naked Adrian Pead with hammers to persuade him to reveal where the family cash was hidden.
Detectives have so far not confirmed whether they are linking the two aggravated burglaries, the latest of which involved six black men and one white man.
The spokesman appealed for anyone who saw anything suspicious happening at about 5.30pm last Wednesday to contact officers urgently.
‘On Wednesday between around 5.30pm and 5.55pm, seven men forcibly entered a property in Sonning. They were all armed with weapons and threatened the victims inside the property, a man in his 70s, a woman in her 50s and a woman in her teens.
A similar raid occurred in the village ten weeks ago, near the home of George and Amal Clooney (pictured)
‘The offenders left by the back entrance of the property and into the gardens behind. All the men are described as wearing black tracksuit bottoms, black jackets and wearing black balaclavas, gloves and muddy trainers.
‘It is understood that six of the offenders were black men and one was a white man. It is believed items were stolen but currently it is not clear what these items were.
‘One victim, the man in his 70s, sustained a head and hip injury as the offenders forced their way in to the property. He did not require hospital treatment.’
Investigating officer, PC Ryan Smith said: ‘This is a concerning incident for the victims involved in this case. It was fortunate that no-one was seriously hurt.
‘We would like to hear from anyone who may have details about this incident. Please contact police if you saw what happened or think you recognise the description of these men or saw them prior to this incident.’
After the previous aggravated burglary 41-year-old Victoria Reeve told how she was confronted in the couple’s bedroom by the men who battered naked husband Adrian with hammers to persuade him to reveal where the family cash was hidden.
Fearful that the hooded raiders might attack his children and wife, the insurance broker opened the safe which contained only documents and then had to reveal a secret compartment in the bedroom where £10,000 cash was hidden.