Bungling police raid OAP's house

By Nick Ward
Sheffield Star
Mar. 28, 2007

BUNGLING police smashed down a disabled Sheffield pensioner's door during a drugs raid... at the wrong house.

Widower Terry Loukes, aged 72, who suffers from spinal arthritis, was taking an afternoon nap when he realised someone was approaching his front door.

He got up to answer it but, just seconds later, the door came crashing in - missing him by inches.

Terry, a retired car showroom worker, of Haslehurst Road, Wybourn, says four policemen - all wearing full body armour and crash helmets - then pushed past him to search his house.

Terry said: "I was lying on my settee when I heard my intruder alarm go off. I have one in the garden because my shed was broken into recently. As soon as the alarm sounded I got up and noticed someone standing at the door.

"I shouted, 'Just a minute', and told the person I was about to open the door. But he shouted, 'Get back', and it came crashing in.

"Next thing there were four policemen in my house, up my stairs, in my front room and in my kitchen. There were more policemen standing in the garden.

"The officer asked me if I lived here and I said, 'Yes, for 35 years'."

Officers told Terry they had a warrant to search the address but quickly realised they were in the wrong house.

"I've never known anything like it," said Terry. "I mean, this doesn't look like a drug dealer's house - how many drug dealers have gnomes in their garden?"

Terry, who was in a state of shock, said he was comforted by an officer who made him a cup of coffee.

He added: "He couldn't apologise enough and told me he'd come back next week with a bottle of whisky for me - but I don't even drink."

Terry who even has a South Yorkshire Police 'No Cold Callers' sign by his front door, is now finding it difficult to sleep and plans to see his GP. "I'm a bag of nerves," he said.

Inspector Andy Male, who heads up South Yorkshire Police's Safer Neighbourhood team, personally called to see Terry within minutes of learning of the mistake.

He apologised, ensured the door was boarded up, and promised to have it replaced.

"The warrant was executed at the wrong address," Insp Male confirmed today.

"The mistake came about due to intelligence being incorrectly attributed.

"Occasionally this happens and we are reviewing the process.

"We are very sorry about the damage done to Mr Loukes' door."