Youths raid woman's home as she watches TV

Betty Pollack, 77, was watching Deal Or No Deal when four youths were seen by a neighbour breaking into her ground-floor flat in Shelley Road, Worthing, last Thursday.

The youngsters stole various items of jewellery, including a bracelet given to her by her late husband, and medication from her bedroom, before going into the kitchen and taking chocolate bars from the fridge.

Unbeknown to Mrs Pollack, police arrived and caught the four suspects in nearby Crescent Road.

She said: "The first I knew was when the police knocked on my door and asked to come in. I said 'Why?' and they said, 'You have been burgled' to which I said, 'No I haven't'."

But a look inside her bedroom revealed what had happened.

Mrs Pollack said: "Thank goodness I didn't go into the kitchen while they were here. I had decided to have a little sit down before I cooked my dinner because my breathing was a bit bad. I have mirrors in my lounge and I'm sure they must have seen me."

Police managed to recover many of Mrs Pollack's belongings. However, a gold Victorian bracelet, with a sovereign in the middle, which was a gift from her late husband, John, has not been recovered.

Despite her upset, Mrs Pollack added: "My son, Peter, said his dad would have said, 'Your life means more than the bracelet', which is true. I am very lucky."

The thieves also took medication Mrs Pollack uses to control a lung condition which she did not want to name but said she will eventually die from.

Luckily, Mrs Pollack had extra supplies of the medication.

She said: "I really want to thank the woman who called the police and the police for a quick response. Without that, who knows what could have happened. I am trying not to think about it and be positive. The police have been fantastic."

A police spokeswoman said: "Police received the call from a neighbour that youths were breaking into the property and were on the scene within seconds. The officers were just about to go off-duty but went straight round and arrested two youths in Crescent Road. Two others were arrested shortly afterwards in Crescent Road on suspicion of burglary. Several items of property were recovered."

The four youths have been released on police bail.