LogFAQs > #948727970

A pensioner aged 94 has been left fearful in his own home after burglars broke in days before Christmas. Edwin Green, known as Ted, woke up in the early hours of Tuesday morning when he realised a light was on at his property in County Durham The intruders fled the scene when he shouted out but left his home in Horden trashed, and stole his pension money, his car keys and his house keys.

Ex-miner Ted has had a silver lining, though, after strangers raised more than 20,000 to help him get back on his feet.

He has been left overwhelmed by it all, his daughter Sandra Hawkins, 54, said. She immediately rushed to help when her dad called to say what had happened. The thieves broke a window of his home

He rang me at 5.09am to say his house had been ransacked, she said. I could hear in his voice he was being serious so I jumped in the car and when I saw what had happened I burst into tears. The police were already there and I just broke down I just couldnt believe that somebody could so that to another person. It was absolutely awful.

Even just doing that to anybody is awful but it just makes it worse that hes old and vulnerable. We stayed up with him last night until he went to bed but its just heartbreaking, hes 94 years old. He wouldnt leave his home. Hes lived there for 40 years that was where my mam lived until she passed away. With his house in tatters, the family also realised the burglars had stolen a number of sentimental objects including a miners lamp.

Ted, who previously worked at Houghton Colliery mines, has three children, 11 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

Sandras son Jordan posted about the break-in on Facebook to see whether anyone had any information but was overwhelmed by the response. A fundraising page was set up by Gym 360, where Jordan trains, and soon the amount donated shot up to more than 20,000. Celebrities including Love Island star Molly-Mae Hague and Geordie Shores Holly Hagan both shared the appeal on Twitter. And Teds kind-hearted local community also stepped up to help replace his broken windows, change his locks and even his local garage came to sort out his car keys.

Sandra explained: I just couldnt believe how the people in the street, people we dont know were sending us hampers and donating money. We never asked for anything as a family but to see the generosity of people was really overwhelming. Its Christmas and its a really hard time at the moment with Covid-19 and people losing their jobs and the fact that people were actually donating money blew my mind. We cant thank everyone enough from the bottom of our hearts. But despite the generosity of the public, Sandra said the burglary has left her dad fearful that the culprits could return.

She said: Everybody absolutely loves my dad, he still drives, he still likes to go out to the shops so hes very well known. Hes one of those people who will help anyone, he can turn his hand to anything mechanical or building work and now people are helping him. My dad asked me whether these people were going to break in again and steal this money but I told him it was in an account.

You can put things right, you can tidy things up but its the fear and violation for my dad thats the worst. To watch him go through this was absolutely heart-wrenching. Two 25-year-olds, a 26-year-old and a 45-year-old were arrested in connection with the incident.

Durham Constabulary today confirmed the four arrested people have been released under investigation and inquiries are ongoing. Detective Inspector Gareth Hodgson, of Peterlee CID, said: Burglary is never acceptable, but a burglary committed against an elderly, vulnerable member of our community so close to Christmas is particularly callous. Id like to thank residents for their support while we carry out our inquiries.



Hope those 4 goons get serious prison time

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^ Hey now that's completely unfair!
https://imgur.com/yPw05Ob