“Considerate thieves”: 87-year-old given glass of water during robbery
A Sydney pensioner who was robbed at his house said the “considerate thieves” brought him a glass of water before leaving.
87-year-old John Smit was up at around 2am on Tuesday when he saw two men in his Baulkham Hills kitchen rummaging through his wallet.
“I walked straight into them, all dressed in black and I said, ‘what the hell are you doing here?’” Smit told reporters hours after the home invasion, 10daily reported.
“[One] just rushed me into the bathroom, sat me down and sat next to me and said ‘we want money’.”
Smit told the thieves the only money he had was in his wallet. “I said ‘what money, I’m a pensioner, what do you expect?’” he recalled.
The thieves went through his belongings and took a watch and much of his stamp collection.
The pair headed to the jewellery box storing his late wife’s rings, but Smit begged them not to take her engagement ring. They then dropped the rings on the cupboard and left.
Smit said the thieves complied when he asked for a glass of water while he was sitting.
“He called out to the other fella and said ‘bring a glass of water’, which he did. They were what they call considerate thieves, even the police were surprised.”
The two men had threatened to tie Smit up by his hands and feet, telling the homeowner they would call the police on themselves so he could then be untied.
Later on, the men negotiated and asked Smit to call triple zero 15 minutes after they left.
Emergency services were called to the house just before 2.30am.
The Hills Police Area Command has commenced an investigation with assistance from the Dog Unit and Ryde Police Area Command.
Anyone with information, dashcam footage or CCTV related to the case are urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.