A 60-year-old market trader was held captive by robbers who looted his home for £30,000 gold jewellery.
At 9:30pm on 12th November, a week before the festival of light Diwali, father-of-three Harminder Dhillon from Ilford was beaten by four masked men who broke into his home from the backdoor. He recounts, “I tried to fight them but there were too many of them. If it was two burglars I think I could've beaten them but they just kept hitting me. They said they would stab me if I didn't tell them where the jewellery was. But I didn't know – even my wife keeps it hidden from me. I shouted at the, 'If you can find it just take it'. They left one guy with a hammer to watch over me as they ransacked upstairs.”
Amongst many valuables that were stolen, Dhillon's wedding ring was stolen from him as well. He expressed, “My wedding has gone and a lot of family heirlooms. I've worked hard all my life and these scumbags have just taken everything. We know they will try to sell it quick... I still think about it [the attack] when I'm home alone. It's terrifying.”
