'Terrifying' ordeal as couple in 80s threatened at knifepoint in home during burglary involving teenagers

The armed burglary took place at approximately 4:30pm on February 5 last year when the boys, now aged 15 and 17, entered an address in Barnbrook Road, Sarisbury Green.

An elderly couple, who occupy the home, were watching television when the boys entered the home.

One of the boys, who had a knife, made demands for car keys but was chased out of the house by one of the victims.

The same victim then discovered the second boy, who had come out of a bedroom wearing a ski mask and holding a knife.

The boy made demands for car keys, before taking a set of keys himself and running out of the house. The victim found the keys discarded on the floor outside.

DC Paul Osborne, from the Eastern Area Crime Team, said: “This was a terrifying incident for the couple involved, who were threatened at knifepoint in their own home.

“They were extremely brave during the burglary itself, and have continued to show courage throughout the police investigation.

“We know that the community will be particularly shocked by the young ages of the defendants in this instance. These kinds of aggravated burglary are rare in any case, and rarer still to involve children.

“No one should have to experience what the victims were subjected to that day - the behaviour of the defendants was appalling and we will never tolerate this type of crime.

“Officers made painstaking efforts to review hours of CCTV footage and follow up every line of enquiry available to identify the two boys involved. I hope the community can be reassured that we have caught the people responsible for this awful crime, and they have now been sentenced.”

Following enquiries for CCTV, the police identified the two boys and they have now been jailed.

Both of the boys cannot be named for legal reasons but they appeared at Southampton Crown Court today (Friday, January 3, 2025). The 17-year-old boy was jailed for 40 months, and the 15-year-old was jailed for two years.

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