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Gun raid drama
Jan 21 2003
By Mark Cowan, Evening Mail
Gun-wielding robbers held up a three terrified Birmingham students before ransacking their home.
The hysterical Aston University students were threatened and ordered to lie face-down by the gunmen.
It happened just hours before the city's landmark memorial concert to the New Year party schoolgirl shooting victims, which called for the end to all gun crime.
The students could only watch in tears as the men, one of whom was brandishing a pistol, tore through drawers and overturned cupboards.
Today detectives hunting the gang branded the incident "appalling."
Aston University bosses said they were carrying out an urgent security review.
One of the terrified students has been left so traumatised that she has now returned to her parents home in Ireland.
The gunmen struck in Aston Brook Green, Newtown, late on Saturday night, but details were only released by police today.
The property, close to the university campus, is within a mile of Birchfield Road, where Letisha Shakespeare, 17 and 18-year-old Charlene Ellis, were gunned down.
Two female students and a male, all in their early 20s, were confronted by the gang who burst in after they answered a knock at the door.
The robbery happened shortly before 8,000 local people gathered at Villa Park
in memory of Letisha and Charlene to demand an end to gun crime which has brought fear to the city streets.
Acting Detective Sergeant Richard Ryan said: "The students were taken out of their rooms and downstairs where they were forced to lie face-down." The gang eventually fled through a downstairs window with three mobile phones, a laptop computer and cash.
"I am appalled by this incident which left the students terrified. I would appeal to witnesses or anyone with information to contact us immediately," said Mr Ryan.
Aston University spokesman David Packham said today it would be looking again at security measures following the armed burglary.
Anyone with information should ring police on 0121 322 6106.
© owned by or licensed to Trinity Mirror Plc 2003
