Masked intruder terrorises couple

Megan Lewis | 4th July 2009

POLICE are hunting a man who violently attacked a middle-aged couple in their Yeppoon home early yesterday.

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POLICE are hunting a man who violently attacked a middle-aged couple in their Yeppoon home early yesterday.

The 60-year-old man and his 58-year-old wife, who did not want to be named, yesterday spoke candidly to The Morning Bulletin about their frightening ordeal.

The woman said she was enjoying tea and toast in bed beside her sleeping husband about 5.15am when she heard a loud bang and noises coming from the backyard of their Chrisney Street home in Cooee Bay.

“I went out to see what it was and let the dog out - when I turned the light on I saw a dark shadow in the yard,” she said.

“I looked a second time and then a man started rushing right toward me.”

The intruder, who was wearing a stocking over his face, pulled open the glass sliding door as the woman tried to close it and latch the lock.

He slammed her hand in the door and knocked her over as he rushed into the house.

“He jumped straight over the top of me and went towards the bedroom, yelling at (my husband), 'I want money - get it now!'”

The woman's husband said he was still half asleep when he heard the commotion and rushed towards the bedroom door to try to push the man out of the house.

“I tried to tackle him and get him out of the house,” he said.

The man was kicked in the torso and punched twice in the head while the intruder held him down by putting his foot on his face.

“By this time, my wife was screaming and she couldn't get up.”

He said the man had a green shopping bag with him and kept demanding money.

“The only thing in the house was my wallet, which had less than $100 in it.”

The bruised and battered couple said the man fled their house when they tried to remove the stocking from his face.

“Our neighbours heard my screaming and saw him run out and take off the stocking when he got to the street, but they couldn't see his face,” the woman said.

“It was really scary. It reminded me of something out of Underbelly.”

Police set up a crime scene at the address about 8am after patrols and police dogs failed to locate the offender.

An ambulance was called to tend to the couple's injuries but they did not require hospitalisation.

After giving their statements to police, the couple were recovering at home yesterday and said they were able to laugh about what had happened.

“The big joke's on him. We had no money in the house except the $85 that was in my wallet,” he said.

The man is described as 193cm tall, with a solid build, wearing a dark-coloured tracksuit, a black beanie and a stocking over his head.

Anyone with any information that could assist police investigations is urged to contact Yeppoon Police on 4939 0000 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.