LISTEN: Elderly robbery victim tells of moment armed raiders burst into home
The elderly victim of an armed robbery in a wealthy Glasgow suburb has told how three masked men burst into her house and demanded gold and cash.
The elderly victim of an armed robbery in a wealthy Glasgow suburb has told how three masked men burst into her house and demanded gold and cash.
Bilquis Choudry, 69, was alone in her home in Giffnock, East Renfrewshire, when she heard the sliding doors of her lounge open.
She mistakenly thought it was her grandson Faisel Rahman, who was transporting belongings from a garage at the rear of the property and had made several trips.
But three men, one of whom was carrying what looked like a screwdriver, then appeared in her lounge and demanded cash and jewellery.
Her son-in-law Fayyaz Rahman has been speaking to Clyde News:
She said: "I was talking on the phone to my friend and suddenly the line went dead. They had cut the phone line. I went to the other room and three men burst in.
"They told me to sit down and were asking, 'Where's your gold? Where's your passwords? Where's your money?'"
Mrs Choudry, who has three children, said she then heard the robbers break open a cabinet and was praying for her husband Rafique, 73, to return as she heard things being broken in other rooms.
She added: "I just prayed to God and hoped everything would be okay."
The men were in her kitchen when she told them her son was coming, and two of them made their escape on to Rouken Glen Road where they were photographed fleeing in a dark grey Volvo driven by a fourth man.
The third man escaped on foot and he and the car were last seen heading in the direction of Eastwood Toll.
The thieves escaped with jewellery and around £2,000 of charity money which the family had raised for Woodfarm Education Centre.
Mrs Choudry's son-in-law Fayyaz Rahman, 56, visited the couple after the robbery to comfort them following their ordeal.
He said: "They have been shaken and scared since it happened.
"The men were armed with screwdrivers, but they also had something in their hands which was covered with a rag. It could have been a knife or a screwdriver, it could have been anything."
The robbery happened at 5.30pm on Monday in Rouken Glen Road.
Police say no-one was injured in the incident, and they are still trying to trace the men responsible, who were wearing dark clothing.
A spokesman said: "We are still appealing for any witnesses to come forward as it's a very busy road."