“Bad Santa” thugs burgled an elderly woman’s home as she celebrated her 77th birthday on Christmas Eve, police have said.
The pensioner was watching television at around 6pm when she heard a loud bang from the back of the property in Saxon Street, north Manchester.
When she went to investigate, she was confronted by three men, all wearing black clothes and hats, who had smashed her patio doors and forced their way into her house.
One forced her to stay in the kitchen with him while the other two rifled through the property for around five minutes.
The gang then fled with her handbag containing £50 in cash, her bank card, bus pass and various other personal items.
The woman, who has not been named, immediately called the police, who said she remains “terrified in her own home”.
Detective Sergeant Terina Arthern, of Greater Manchester Police’s North Manchester Neighbourhood Crime Team, said: “Of course this incident will rightly cause concern in the local community and our thoughts remain with the victim and her loved ones as she continues to recover from this ordeal.
“Understandably, the victim, who is also an elderly woman, is now terrified and fearful within her own home.
“On what should have been a day of celebration for her 77th birthday and Christmas Eve, she was confronted by three unknown males who shockingly stripped away her personal belongings from her own home.
“Our officers are continuing to provide support to the victim and her loved ones, offering reassurance and tailored assistance to ensure she regains a sense of safety and security.
“I also want to provide some further reassurance to the community that we’re doing all we can to identify those responsible and bring them to justice as soon as possible, and pursuing all lines of inquiry.
“We are appealing to the public in the local area who may have seen suspicious activity around the time of the incident as your information may be vital in locating the offenders.
“If you were in the vicinity of Saxon Street, just off Bradford Road in Manchester, and witnessed any suspicious behaviour by the described men or a vehicle acting strangely in the vicinity, we urge you to come forward.
“Even the smallest piece of information, whether from doorbell footage, CCTV recordings, or eyewitness accounts, may help us piece together the events before and after this shocking incident.”
All three suspects were all dressed in black, Greater Manchester Police said.
The man who stood next to the victim during the burglary was said to be around 6ft and wearing a black hat, jacket, trousers and gloves.
