Being held at gunpoint is not something Doug [surname withheld] will easily recover from, but the 71-year-old is determined to have his attackers brought to justice.
Three large men of Pacific Islander appearance threatened Doug with a gun and a baseball bat at his home on Boronia Road, North St Marys in the early hours of November 27, 2010.
Now, some 18 months later, he has broken his silence to talk to the Weekender.
“It was about 2.45am and I was asleep when there was a knock on the door. My grandson was awake and answered the door. As I came into the hallway he closed the front door and told me that a young girl had come looking for a person called Rex,” Doug said.
“About two minutes later there was a bang on the door again. I called out, ‘who’s there?’ and some men yelled back telling us to open the door.”
Doug watched on in fear as they began bashing or kicking at the door.
“It just disintegrated and fell on top of me cutting my head and knocking me off balance. The first man grabbed me by the wrist and threw me into the lounge room,” he said.
“He pointed a gun at my head and threatened to blow my head off.”
Fortunately, Doug’s grandson had looked out the window moments before the door collapsed, saw that a man was holding a baseball bat and ran out the back door.
“His friend lived over the back fence so he made it to their house and called the police. The third man chased him out the back door but didn’t get to him,” Doug said.
When the man with the gun went to see what was happening out back, the second man carrying the baseball bat guarded Doug on the floor.
“He threatened to bash me with the baseball bat. Then the first man with the gun came back and pointed it at my kneecaps. He told me he would shoot my knees if I didn’t tell him where the safe was,” he said.
Fortunately, the escape of Doug’s grandson was enough to worry the burglars and they left in a hurry with just a mobile phone and a packet of cigarettes.
They discharged two shots from the gun into the air as they disappeared down Boronia Road into the darkness.
Police believe the men ran down Boronia Road to Sycamore Street and got into a vehicle.
“It seemed only seconds after the men left that the police arrived, I am surprised they didn’t pass each other on the street,” Doug said.
Doug was taken to hospital for treatment but the trauma is still very real for him and his grandson.
“I am much more aware of the noises around me and my grandson prefers to have a light on at night so he can see everything that is happening,” he said.
“I think these people need to be taken off the streets. It is probably not the only offence they have committed and I don’t want another family going through the trauma we have experienced.”
St Marys Police have fresh leads on the case and are renewing a public appeal for information, particularly about the young girl who attended Doug’s home moments before the robbery.
“Identifying the female is crucial to our investigations as we believe she may have vital information that will help us in the identification of the three men involved in the armed robbery,” said Detective Senior Constable, John Lothian.
She has been described as about 20 to 25-years-old, about 165cm in height, thin build, brown eyes, dark complexion and of Aboriginal appearance.
Anyone with information should contact St Marys Police on 1800 333 000.
