Pensioner robbery 'was planned'

The pensioner's house is in an isolated area

A man aged in his 70s has been left badly shaken after he was tied up and robbed at his home in County Antrim.

The victim is the third elderly person to be terrorised in their home inside 24 hours. Police said it was planned.

Two men carrying hatchets forced their way into the pensioner's house at Newtowncrommelin near Ballymena at about midnight.

They tied the 73-year-old to a chair and ransacked the house before escaping with a sum of money.

A neighbour freed the man when she called to check on him. He sustained a wrist injury and was left badly shaken by his ordeal.

Detectives in Ballymena have appealed for information.

They particularly want to hear from anyone who can help identify the occupants of a black estate car seen in the area over the past two days.

They went and left him overnight and took the car keys with them - he was tied to a chair Victim's neighbour

The neighbour said: "His arm was very sore and he is away to hospital.

"He is not good, I can tell you that. He was in complete shock.

"We called the police... he said he had been burgled.

"He says they were in the house for almost a good hour, searching it.

"They went and left him overnight and took the car keys with them. He was tied to a chair."

A police helicopter carried out a search for the car police believe was used in the robbery, but nothing was found.

Inspector Simon Hutchinson, who is leading the investigation, said he did not believe the robbery was a random act.

The robbers slashed the victim's car tyres

"There must have been something happening over the last weeks or months to put this plan into action," he said.

"There must have been some reconnaissance done at some stage, or perhaps it was overheard in a pub, or in a shop.

"But I believe it was planned - I don't think this was random."