AN elderly man used his stairlift to get upstairs to tackle a burglar who was ransacking his home. Jack and Edie Pearson of Manor Drive, Great Gonerby, were at home last Wednesday when thieves struck. One posed as a waterboard official to create a diversion while the second broke into the house through a back window.
Mrs Pearson, 86, answered a knock at the door at about 5.40pm and a man in his twenties burst into the kitchen to turn on the taps.
Mrs Pearson said: "He told me all the taps had to be switched on or there would be a great big burst. I told him I didn't believe him and that I was going to ring the police.
"He told me that I should leave the taps running and that he'd be back again in ten minutes.
"We were in the kitchen and we heard someone walk across the bedroom upstairs."
Mr Pearson, 88, used his stairlift to get upstairs to tackle the burglar, but the thief slid down the banister and ran out of the property.
Drawers had been emptied and beds overturned in the property as the burglar hunted for cash.
All that was stolen was £40 from Mr Pearson's wallet.
The thieves left footprints around the property. One of the thieves left a bloodstain on a wall in the property, which police hope will result in a DNA match.
Mrs Pearson said: "The police said these people are the scum of the earth.
"I don't mind speaking to the Journal about it if it will stop a burglary somewhere else. It was a frightening experience.
"We'd like to thank police, our neighbours and the council for all the help we've had."
Information: Lincolnshire Police on 01476 402222 quoting incident 299 of December 10.
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