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Gorton and Levenshulme
Longsight and Ardwick
Moss Side and Hulme
Rusholme and Fallowfield
Added: 08/19/2009 at 01:49:53 PM Last Updated: 04/09/2010 at 02:44:04 PM
The victims of a brutal robbery in which a woman can be heard making a frantic 999 call have spoken of their ordeal.
The 34-year-old man, who also spoke on behalf of his 27-year-old partner, said: "I have been back to the house and seen the damage to our bedroom door and it chills me to the bone.
"I can only describe these people as animals – what they did crossed the line and went beyond my understanding.
"I remember hearing the sound of someone trying to break in downstairs and thinking it was surreal. I assumed it was next door.
"We then heard them shouting downstairs and we realised it was at us. They started coming up the stairs so our instinct was to stop them coming through the bedroom door.
"I leant against the door while my partner called the police and all this time we heard them screaming for the car keys.
"We assumed they'd go away once they heard us on the phone to the police, but they kept coming, even after we told them where the keys were.
"They then punched through the door and at that moment I suddenly thought of the famous scene from The Shining when he comes through the door with an axe.
"They then started hitting through the hole with something and hit my partner over the head several times. At that point I thought something had changed and this had gone on enough.
"I opened the door and tried to tell them where the keys were but they dragged us downstairs and continued to hit us. I remember seeing blood pouring from a deep, nasty gash on my partner's head and assuming they had hit her with a machete.
"I tried to put myself between them and her and was hit in the face several times. We eventually gave them the keys and they left us.
"Our neighbours then came out to see us and they were all fantastic, as were the police.
"Before this happened we were aware that there have been similar incidents in the area. Now, we are desperate to leave. I have been here 12 years and this is the end for us."
The incident happened at Plattbrook Close, Fallowfield, shortly before 6am on Monday 17 August 2009.
Masked offenders broke into the house, went up the stairs, forced open the door and repeatedly hit the woman over the head with a baseball bat.
The robbers also hit the man in the face before stealing a set of car keys and driving off in the couple's Volkswagen Golf TDI.
The car was later found abandoned in the St George's area of Hulme.
The woman suffered two cuts to the head, one on the forehead which required five stitches. She has now been discharged from hospital.
Detectives are continuing to appeal for witnesses and the investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information is asked to call Longsight CID on 0161 856 1936 or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Three people arrested following the incident have been bailed.
Two 16-year-old boys and a 16-year-old girl arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to rob have bailed pending further enquiries until 10 November 2009.
Appeals
Couple speak of 'Shining' attack ordeal
The victims of a brutal robbery in which a woman can be heard making a frantic 999 call have spoken of their ordeal.
The 34-year-old man, who also spoke on behalf of his 27-year-old partner, said: "I have been back to the house and seen the damage to our bedroom door and it chills me to the bone.
"I can only describe these people as animals – what they did crossed the line and went beyond my understanding.
"I remember hearing the sound of someone trying to break in downstairs and thinking it was surreal. I assumed it was next door.
"We then heard them shouting downstairs and we realised it was at us. They started coming up the stairs so our instinct was to stop them coming through the bedroom door.
"I leant against the door while my partner called the police and all this time we heard them screaming for the car keys.
"We assumed they'd go away once they heard us on the phone to the police, but they kept coming, even after we told them where the keys were.
"They then punched through the door and at that moment I suddenly thought of the famous scene from The Shining when he comes through the door with an axe.
"They then started hitting through the hole with something and hit my partner over the head several times. At that point I thought something had changed and this had gone on enough.
"I opened the door and tried to tell them where the keys were but they dragged us downstairs and continued to hit us. I remember seeing blood pouring from a deep, nasty gash on my partner's head and assuming they had hit her with a machete.
"I tried to put myself between them and her and was hit in the face several times. We eventually gave them the keys and they left us.
"Our neighbours then came out to see us and they were all fantastic, as were the police.
"Before this happened we were aware that there have been similar incidents in the area. Now, we are desperate to leave. I have been here 12 years and this is the end for us."
The incident happened at Plattbrook Close, Fallowfield, shortly before 6am on Monday 17 August 2009.
Masked offenders broke into the house, went up the stairs, forced open the door and repeatedly hit the woman over the head with a baseball bat.
The robbers also hit the man in the face before stealing a set of car keys and driving off in the couple's Volkswagen Golf TDI.
The car was later found abandoned in the St George's area of Hulme.
The woman suffered two cuts to the head, one on the forehead which required five stitches. She has now been discharged from hospital.
Detectives are continuing to appeal for witnesses and the investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information is asked to call Longsight CID on 0161 856 1936 or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Three people arrested following the incident have been bailed.
Two 16-year-old boys and a 16-year-old girl arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to rob have bailed pending further enquiries until 10 November 2009.
