Girrawheenon home invasion: Grandmother and cancer patient speaks out about terrifying assault by men pretending to be cops
GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING
A grandmother and cancer patient who was the victim of a horrific attack in her own home has spoken out about the attack for the first time.
Cancer patient Ninette Simons, 73, is still bruised from the shocking home invasion by three men who posed as police officers when they knocked on her door in Girrawheenon, north Perth, on the evening of April 16.
But she is now courageously speaking out so she can plead for help in finding the attackers, none of whom have yet been caught.
“I’m very scared, I’m not the same person I used to be, I can barely stand or walk,” she shared 9News.
The men who carried out the cowardly attack claimed they were police officers, and told Mrs Simons’ husband, Philip, that they had done so a warrant to search their house ‘for stolen gold’.
Grandmother Ninette Simons (pictured), who was the victim of a horrific attack in her own home in the Perth suburb of Girrawheen, has spoken out about the attack for the first time
The men who carried out the cowardly and brutal attack said they were police officers and told Mrs Simons’ husband Philip (pictured) that they had a warrant to search their home ‘for stolen gold’
Mr Simons, 76, opened the door to the men around 7pm and half an hour of terror followed.
βThe moment they walked in, a guy grabbed me,β he said.
“They said, ‘Get on your knees,’ threw me on the ground, jumped on my back, grabbed the chord from the amplifier and tied me to the floor.”
They then started attacking Ms Simons.
βThe next minute I was hit by the second guy, who had a mask on his face, and said, ‘Don’t shout,’ and he just belted me, which lasted a good half hour,β she said.
‘I said, “What are you doing? Please, you’re hurting me. You’re going to kill me, I’m 73 years old, I’m a cancer patient.”
But the heartless thieves did not stop. They ripped jewelry from her body and then broke into the couple’s safe.
‘I was pouring blood, from my mouth and from my nose, and I became unconscious for a minute or two. I thought I was dying, I don’t know how I survived,β Ms Simons said.
One of the attackers told the couple: “If you go to the police, we are from the area, we will come back and kill you.”
The Simons have been too scared to move back to their home of 45 years, which is 14km north of Perth’s CBD.
WA Police believe it was a specifically targeted attack as the intruders took almost $200,000 worth of jewellery, which was the elderly couple’s savings.
Ms. Simons shared an important message to replace the attack.
βI just want to appeal to the public to help the police catch them so we can all feel safe again. Please help,β Ms Simons said.
Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000
Police officers are pictured at the scene of the attack in the Perth suburb of Girrawheen