NIGHT OF TERROR

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVI, Issue 3443, 15 March 1932, Page 7

NIGHT OF TERROR

WOMAN HELD CAPTIVE BY MASKED BURGLARS. Terrifying moments with masked burglars who held her prisoner while they ransacked the house and" then treated her with exceptional courtesy, are described by Miss A. M. West, a 60-year-old artist, of Bushey, Herts, says a London paper. In all probability the two unknown intruders were aware of the fact that Miss West's maidservant was away for the evening.

Somewhere about midnight Miss West was awakened from sleep by a noise like a log falling from the fire in the dining room. "I got out of bed," said Miss West, "and without waiting to put on much clothing, hurried downstairs. Just as I was about to go into the dining room two men rushed at me, and I fell, hurting my face. "The men picked me up, took me into the dining room, and put me in a chair in front of the fire. I was in my nightdress, and they.brought clothes and put them over me.

"They told me that if I moved or made any attemp to summon help they would gag me, turn on the gas, and leave me to be gassed. They also threatened to shoot me if I caused trouble.

"They then made a methodical search of the house for valuables.

One man, however, was always in the room near me.

"Both men had their faces masked so that I could only see their noses. They appeared to have false beards under the masks. They filled one of my suitcases with a number of articles, including an antique silver teaset and some jewellery. "They took a ring off my finger and then a cheque which I had previously written out.

"Later one of them made tea and offered me a cup. At first I would not take it, as I was afraid it might have been drugged. I then decided that I would risk it, and took a cup of tea which was very welcome. '

"The men had a meal of roast beef and bread and cheese, and informed they were going to wait until after six in the morning, when the night police would have gone off duty. They added that they had been watching the house for some weeks. "One of them asked me if I had not noticed that a curtain at the back of the house had been moved a few days before. I told him that I had noticed it, but thought the cat had been responsible. , "He said, 'We did it, and we should have thought it would have made you suspicious.' "Towards six o'clock they cleaned their shoes carefully and instructed me to allow them time to get away before I moved or otherwise they would come and assault me. "They went out the front door with a suitcase packed, and after a while I ran to a neighbour and gave the alarm." One of Miss West's neighbours stated:

"Miss West came to my house between six and seven in the morning in a state of considerable agitation. There was blood on her face and she was wearing her nightdress with some clothes pulled over it. She told me she had burglars in the house all

night. "I went to the house and found it in a state of terrible disorder. Miss West was so upset that a doctor had to be called.