Solihull family held up in home by axe-wielding robbers

Apr 19 2009 by Ben Goldby, Sunday Mercury

A HUSBAND has told how robbers threatened to rape his wife and murder his family after bursting into their Midland home wielding an axe and 10-inch knife.

Lesley and Patricia Smith, and their grandson, were bound with cable ties by the evil thugs who escaped with more than £20,000 in cash and jewellery.

During a terrifying 20-minute ordeal the drug-crazed burglars threatened to rape the car salesman’s 61 year-old wife and kill his family.

Police are hunting the two robbers who fled in the couple’s BMW after targeting their home in Shirley, Solihull, at 5pm on Wednesday.

A shaken Mr Smith, 63, relived his ordeal to the Sunday Mercury and said: “I thought we were going to be murdered.

“It was the most terrifying experience of my life.”

The grandfather-of-ten was enjoying a cup of tea with his wife and grandson, 20, when the attackers approached their home.