In a single incident the intruder was discovered beneath a person’s eating desk – in one other assault a pair woke to search out him stood by their mattress.

Police worry the 2 assaults might be linked (Picture: PA)
An 82 year-old who discovered a masked intruder beneath his eating desk was gagged, tied to a chair, stuffed into a cabinet and stabbed, shocked detectives have revealed. And his description – a big 6ft-tall black man with massive curly hair – is alarmingly much like a knife-wielding burglar who additionally attacked an aged couple in the identical city at 11.45pm on tenth February.
In that assault, in Royton, Oldham, in Larger Manchester, the twisted burglar additionally introduced an unknown liquid with him, poured it right into a glass, and tried to pressure them to drink it. The latest sufferer who was stabbed was attacked final Sunday at 7.20pm by a big black man sporting a covid-style face masks and gloves.
Learn extra: Dad stabs armed intruder to demise after gang bursts into his dwelling with crowbar
The attacker continues to be at massive and Det Chief Insp Zahid Latif, from Larger Manchester Police (GMP), stated they’re taking each surprising incidents “extraordinarily significantly”.
DCI Latif stated: “Neighbourhood officers are finishing up elevated patrols within the space, and Oldham Council and Grownup Social Care have been totally briefed.
“Our enquiries are nicely underway to find and determine the person answerable for intimidating and committing these horrific crimes towards weak members of our group.
“GMP is not going to tolerate this behaviour. Detectives can be relentless of their seek for this offender, and we are going to use each useful resource obtainable to deliver him into custody. We’re right here to maintain folks protected, and that’s precisely what we intend to do.
“I wish to remind everybody to make sure their home windows and doorways are locked, even when at dwelling, and to assist aged neighbours or family members who could really feel unsettled presently.”
Within the first incident on Monday tenth February GMP stated a “black male of enormous construct, roughly 6ft tall, with massive curly hair and wearing all black with a yellow excessive‑visibility gilet” was discovered standing subsequent to the couple’s mattress as they slept.
He then “stole wallets, demanded PIN numbers, while holding two of the victims’ kitchen knives. He additionally took their telephones.”
The couple reported that the intruder introduced an unknown liquid with him, “poured it right into a glass, and tried to pressure them to drink it. They didn’t drink the liquid. A cable was additionally left behind.”

Workers at GMP police HQ are searching the masked attacker (Picture: MEN MEDIA)
In each circumstances, there was no signal of pressured entry; as an alternative, it’s believed the offender gained entry by way of entrance doorways that had been closed however left unlocked.
In the latest assault on Sunday fifteenth February, additionally in Royton, at round 7.20pm an 82‑yr‑previous sufferer found a person hiding beneath his eating desk.
GMP stated: “The intruder jumped out, overpowered him, and struck him on the top together with his personal strolling stick.
“The offender then tied the sufferer’s fingers and ankles with a cable, positioned him on a chair inside a cabinet, and inflicted an additional head harm utilizing a knife, inflicting a laceration.
“The offender stole the sufferer’s pockets and demanded the PIN for his financial institution card. The cardboard was later used round midnight at an ATM on Oldham Street close to to the junction of the previous Edge Lane Launderette.
“Regardless of his accidents, the sufferer managed to free himself, attain his cellphone, and name his daughter, who instantly alerted police by way of 999. He’s at present protected and receiving therapy at Royal Oldham Hospital.”
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While detectives stated they can not but verify the 2 incidents are definitively linked, they stated “there are clear similarities”, and “officers imagine a person could also be intentionally focusing on aged residents within the Royton space for monetary achieve.”
* If anybody has any data in any respect, irrespective of how small it might appear, please contact us on 101, use GMP LiveChat quoting log 39 of 16/02/2026 or name 999 in an emergency.
















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