81-year-old retiree speaks out after brutal attack at Currajong home

A brave Townsville grandmother has been left with two black eyes after she stood her ground against three youths who broke into her home and demanded the keys to her car.

Police established a crime scene at an address on Bayswater Dr where an elderly resident was assaulted on Friday. Picture: Natasha Emeck

A brave Townsville grandmother has been left with two black eyes after she stood her ground against three youths who broke into her home and demanded the keys to her car.

The 81-year-old retiree — who asked not to be identified for safety fears — said she had been sitting alone in her living room when three male youths broke into her home on Bayswater Rd, Currajong, just after 11.30am on Friday.

The boys had been on the run after allegedly being involved in an incident where two stolen cars crashed just a few minutes prior on Dalrymple Rd.

“They jumped over the fence and came through my back door, I didn’t hear a thing,” she said.

“I was sitting in the lounge and looked in the reflection of the mirror, and I could see someone in a red jumper coming.

“I thought it must be friends visiting and waited to see who it was. The next thing I know, I have three large teenage boys standing in front of me.”

The 81-year-old says she’s afraid the youths may return.

She said the boys began to “frantically” rifle through her bags and told her to hand over her car keys.

“I told them straight — you’re not getting my keys,” she said.

“I yelled: You get out of my house, and you get out now!

“I got cranky because I couldn’t believe they had the audacity to barge into my house in the middle of the day.”

“There were two younger boys who looked a bit more inexperienced. They listened when I told them to get out, and then the older boy followed them.

“I reckon they were in a hell of a hurry because they would have known the police were coming.”

Two stolen car crashed along Dalrymple Rd, Garbutt. Picture: Natasha Emeck

The 81-year-old said she walked to the back door, thinking they had left, when the older boy suddenly returned.

“I was screaming out: ‘Help, help!’ and the older boy came back up the stairs and punched me straight in the face,” she said.

“I just remember the shock and pain.

“I think he was angry because he didn’t get his way.

“I refused to give him my car keys, and there was no money in the purses they went through.

“My face was badly swollen, and now it’s turned into two black eyes.”

Townsville District Duty Officer Scot Warrick on the scene of a crash involving stolen cars. Picture: Natasha Emeck

After 40 years of living on Bayswater Rd, the retiree said she and her husband had never been broken into before this.

‘I’ve never dreamt that anything like this would happen,” she said.

“I still feel very anxious but mostly good because I’m thanking God they didn’t have a weapon.

“I think I’d be gone if that young boy had a knife.”

“They are brazen because they know nothing is going to happen. They get away with a slap on the wrist.”

“If anything, I feel sorry for those kids. What kind of lives must they have at home?”

Police said four juveniles have been taken into custody, and investigations are ongoing.

Originally published as 81-year-old retiree speaks out after brutal attack at Currajong home