Moment masked thieves break into elderly woman's home and order her to stay silent during burglary - before taking off with cash and jewellery

Published: 19:29, 6 August 2026 | Updated: 19:29, 6 August 2026 This is the moment masked thieves broke into an elderly woman's house and ransacked it as she watched on helplessly.  In footage captured on a Ring camera, an 83-year-old can be seen sleeping in her bed at her home in Hayes, west London, when four balaclava-clad men burst in. The startled pensioner then gets out of bed as one of the men, carrying what appears to be a weapon, approaches the woman - ordering her to be quiet. The robbers can then be seen rummaging through her belongings as she is sat shaking on her bed. After just two minutes, they flee - leaving her personal possessions strewn across the room and the visibly distraught woman is left alone in her room.  Now, the Metropolitan Police have launched an investigation into the robbery with enquiries still ongoing.  The force said that several items of jewellery, as well as around £500 in cash was stolen from the property.  While one suspect was captured on CCTV carrying a weapon, no injuries were reported, it added. In Ring camera footage, an 83-year-old woman can be seen sleeping in her bed at her home in Hayes, west London, when four balaclava-clad men burst in The startled pensioner then gets out of bed as one of the men, carrying what appears to be a weapon, approaches the woman ordering her to be quiet Although crime across London has dropped by 15 per cent in the last year, data from the Daily Mail revealed that in the decade since Sadiq Khan became Mayor of London crime has soared across the capital. The data shows that a range of crimes, including theft from the person, sex offences, drugs and violent crime, have dramatically increased from when Sir Sadiq first came to power in 2016. Theft from the person has increased by 140 per cent from 35,570 in 2016-17 to 85,465 in 2025-26. In 2024-25, the year Sir Sadiq was re-elected, it had even skyrocketed to 101,053. Elsewhere, sexual offences have risen by 55 per cent from 17,491 in 2016-17 to 27,074 in 2025-26. Drug offences have risen by 34 per cent from 40,652 in 2016-17 to 54,291 in 2025-26. And violence against the person has soared by 51,086 incidents 27 per cent from 191,691 in 2016-17 to 242,777 in 2025-26. The figures, based only on crimes reported to the Metropolitan Police, do not factor in how London's population has grown over the same time. Official estimates suggest the capital's headcount has risen from 8.7m in 2016, the year Sir Sadiq was elected, to just shy of 9.1m in 2024 – the most recent year. Despite these statistics, London remains one of the safest major cities in the world with a per capita homicide rate lower than New York, Paris, Berlin and Barcelona.  But, for Londoners, it is the threat of petty crimes that pose the greatest day-to-day risk. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. On the Transport for London (TfL) network crime has increased under the Mayor's watch with more incidents of violence, public disorder and a huge rise in vandalism. The London Assembly's Police and Crime Committee said that 48,000 crimes were reported across TfL services in 2025 - up 46 per cent against a pre-pandemic average of 16,544 amid 'unacceptable' levels of violence against women and girls. A Met spokesman said: 'We are aware of a video circulating online showing a burglary in Hayes. We understand the concern that incidents like this can cause for those affected and the wider community.  'Detectives are conducting a thorough investigation and are pursuing all lines of enquiry. 'On Monday, 29 June at 21:57hrs police were called to reports of a burglary on Judge Heath Lane, Hayes. 'Officers attended but the suspects had fled the scene. They spoke with the victim, an 83-year-old woman. One suspect was captured on CCTV carrying a weapon, but no injuries were reported. 'It is believed that several items of jewellery, as well as around £500 in cash was stolen from the property. 'No arrests have been made at this stage. Enquiries continue and anyone with information that may assist police is asked to call 101 quoting CAD 9067/29July. 'Information can also be provided anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.'