Outrage at attempted break-in to Dundee OAP's flat
Would-be thieves who tried to break into the flat of a frail and elderly Dundee woman have been branded "absolutely despicable."
- By James Williamson
- Published in the Courier : 02.09.10
- Published online : 02.09.10 @ 07.36am
It's understood that the 70-year-old female occupant of the flat at Kingsburn Court Nursing Home in Pitalpin Street disturbed the thieves as they tried to get into her flat late on Tuesday night.
They were scared off, leaving their intended victim — who is described as "very frail" — uninjured but shaken.
Lochee councillor Tom Ferguson spoke on Wednesday night and blasted the attack, saying its perpetrators weren't welcome in the area.
Mr Ferguson said he feared that the attempted theft could just be the start of a string of such incidents and called for proactive measures to be taken to stop "low life crime."
The attempted break-in follows disgust at another incident in the city on Monday, when a man robbed an 80-year-old woman of her purse while she tended her garden in Kinloch Terrace, near the Hilltown.
"It now seems that the kind of people who participate in this kind of low-life crime are now moving into that area of Lochee," he said.
"This kind of thing is only just starting and that's what's worrying me.
"It's absolutely despicable that members of society can stoop to this. If we can identify whoever it is doing that then I'd want to see them taken out of our area."
"We'll have to stop it through partnership with the police and through looking at proactive measures that stop this occurring in the first place.
"I'll certainly be speaking to police as well as contacting Bield Housing Association to see if there's anything we can do to up security at the building.
"I'll also speak to the residents and wardens myself."
But Mr Ferguson stressed that he didn't want vulnerable older people to be afraid of such incidents.
Bield Housing Association, who manage the centre, were unavailable for comment on Wednesday night.
Police appealed for witnesses who saw anyone acting suspiciously in the area at around 11.25pm on Tuesday to call them on 0300 111 2222, or speak to any officer.
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