A man suffered a suspected heart attack after he was threatened by a masked gang in his own home.
John Moore, 63, told how five men wearing hooded tops and scarves across their faces battered down his door in Holmebridge in the early hours of Saturday.
The gang demanded money and threatened him with a knife and a fireman’s axe – the same one he had given to alleged scrap collectors just days before.
One of the gang’s hoods fell off and his scarf slipped down and he barked at John: “Don’t look at me or I will ****ing kill you.”
After about 10 minutes searching his home the gang – thought to be high on drugs – left his home, grabbing a video camera as they fled, laughing.
Shocked and unsure what to do John, who had stents inserted for heart problems six months ago, called his son Theo, 32.
Theo dialled 999 but the pair had to wait around three hours for police to attend. Officers blamed a “busy night.”
By the time police had arrived John was panic-stricken and feeling unwell and officers called paramedics who sent him straight to hospital.
It was there he was told by doctors he had probably had a heart attack.
Speaking from his bed in Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, John said: “It’s shocking what’s going on and I want people to know.
“I had to wait three hours for the police and my anxiety levels were going up. By the time they arrived I needed an ambulance.
“Before they arrived I called police and asked what was happening and they said they had been busy all night because of fighting in Huddersfield town centre.”
Doctors said John had suffered a “heart episode”, believed to be a heart attack. John had special blood tests to determine what had happened and whether his heart had been further damaged.
John takes 14 tablets a day and is on blood thinning drugs for his heart problem.
He told how he was in bed when he heard banging on the door around 1am. Before he could get there the centre panel of the UPVC door was kicked through and five men burst in.
He was threatened at knifepoint and with the axe. They were demanding money but I said I didn’t have any.
“I don’t think they believed me. As they ran off one of them said: ‘That’s how you do it’. I think they were high on something. They were bouncing around like junkies, desperate.”
John said he found some scrap metal collectors in the garden at his secluded terraced home last week. He gave them scrap including the axe.
“I did them a favour giving them some gardening tools and an axe and that’s how they repay you,” he said. I want to warn others.”
He added: “It’s ironic I’m in the same hospital now and it’s changed beyond recognition. I’m feeling a little guilty now because they’ve been excellent.”
Det Insp Ian Thornes, of Huddersfield CID, said he would look into John’s claims about the police delay. He said a vehicle may have been used and appealed for information.
Anyone who can help should call Huddersfield CID via 101 and quote crime number 487728.
