AN ELDERLY west Belfast woman has said she will pray for those who robbed her twice in two days.
Rosaleen Wilson (80) was left in tears after her Andersonstown home was targeted by intruders on consecutive days.
During both robberies she was asleep in bed when her bedroom was searched and her handbag, mobile phone, money and jewellery were taken.
Mrs Wilson said she said has been left "devastated" and despite being badly shaken said she would "say a wee prayer" for those responsible.
The great-grandmother, who suffers from the lung condition COPD and relies on oxygen, had gone for a lie down on Monday morning when a man entered her house at Bearnagh Drive at around 11am.
The intruder stole her handbag and mobile phone, which was on the bedside cabinet. The handbag contained cash, bank cards and gift vouchers.
Mrs Wilson's daughter Colette, who was in the kitchen, saw the man as he walked towards the living room and challenged him.
He told her to "be quiet and stop shouting" and claimed he was there about "the guttering."
He made his escape in a small grey/silver car in the direction of the Andersonstown Road.
Later than evening Mrs Wilson went to bed and fell asleep at around 1am.
But when she woke yesterday morning, she found her bedroom had been ransacked again.
CCTV has since shown two figures entering the locked home at around 4.20am and taking money from Mrs Wilson's purse and a necklace.
It is suspected the pair got in using a spare key, which was in the pensioner's handbag stolen on Monday.
The pensioner, who has lived in the house since 1969, told The Irish News that when she woke yesterday to find her home had been targeted again, she "sat on the edge of the bed and cried".
"Everything was lying out of the drawers," she said.
"All the wee memories cards. I keep them altogether and everything was out of the dressing table and bedside cabinet.
"I sat on the bed and just cried when I looked all around me.
"I feel devastated. I am shocked at them coming in and me in bed.
She said she was now "afraid."
Colette O'Neill said the two attacks on her mother had left her feeling "utterly sick".
"It is bad enough the vulnerable are made to feel so insecure in their home," she said.
"I am just devastated. You are supposed to be be safe in your home".
Police have appealed for information. The intruder is described as being aged in his forties with dark hair and wearing a blue jacket.
