Callous burglars target home of elderly woman hours after she was found dead: Barrow-in-Furness
(LA14 - Tuesday, 26 July, 2011)

Barrow police are appealing for help from the community after callous thieves targeted the home of an elderly woman hours after she was found dead inside her home.

Police were called yesterday afternoon, Monday 25 July, to reports of males acting suspiciously around a property on Earle Street in Barrow.

Officers attended and discovered that the house that had been burgled had been visited by police earlier that day when they were called to a non-suspicious sudden death.

Police attended the property at around 10am and sadly, found an elderly woman dead inside.

Officers believe that the offenders may have waited for emergency services and undertakers to leave the area before entering the property at around 1pm and stealing a black 32" Panasonic television.

An investigation was launched by police and enquiries led officers to arrest five local men yesterday afternoon.

The television has also been recovered by police.

Detective Constable Cheryl Smith who is investigating said:

"This is a shocking crime where it seems that the offender(s) may have used these tragic circumstances as an opportunity to steal a television from an elderly woman who had been found dead a matter of hours before.

"The lady's family are understandably devastated - they were informed that their relative had died suddenly, and then we had to deliver the news that her house had also been burgled.

"We hope that the community will come forward to provide us with information so that we can bring whoever is responsible for this crime to justice."

If you were in the area at the time and witnessed anything suspicious, please contact Barrow CID on 0845 33 00 247.

Information can also be passed to police anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

NOTE: five local men aged 20, 23, 21, 20 and 22 were arrested on suspicious of burglary.

All have been placed on police bail until 4th and 5th August 2011 while enquiries continue.

Police Force: Cumbria

Address:
Earle Street
Barrow-in-Furness
CUMBRIA
LA14