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Man dies after being robbed at home in Sheffield on Christmas Day | Man dies after being robbed at home in Sheffield on Christmas Day |
(about 4 hours later) | |
A retired caretaker has died after he was robbed at his home on Christmas Day. South Yorkshire police said the 61-year-old man, Stephen Starkey, was attacked at his home in the Lowedges area of Sheffield by a man who took a PlayStation 3 console and cash from him. | |
His friend and neighbour Derek Wilkinson, 79, described how Starkey managed to cross the road to his house to raise the alarm after he was assaulted on Christmas morning. | His friend and neighbour Derek Wilkinson, 79, described how Starkey managed to cross the road to his house to raise the alarm after he was assaulted on Christmas morning. |
Wilkinson said he called the emergency services after his friend described how he was knocked to the ground by someone who called at his door. He said Starkey lived by himself and had been attacked earlier this year in a similar incident. “This bloke had come and knocked him down in the doorway and pinched his things off him. He [Starkey] come over to me and we rung for ambulances and police and things like that. He was very shook up. He’d done his shoulder, I think, and they’d knocked him about.” | |
A police spokesman said Starkey had died in hospital. | A police spokesman said Starkey had died in hospital. |
Wilkinson, who said he had lived in the street for 40 years, added that Starkey had lived alone in the house for 30 years. He added: “I knew him very well – a very big friend of mine. He was a smashing fella … a very nice fella and he’ll be missed.” | |
Wilkinson said his friend used to work locally for the council’s housing department as a caretaker. “It’s a very quiet area usually. Fairly quiet. They’re all bought properties, mainly.” | |
Other neighbours said Starkey was not in good health and was frail. Police described him as vulnerable. | |
A 37-year-old man was arrested in connection with the incident but was released on bail pending further inquiries. A second man, aged 40, was later arrested on suspicion of murder, and was still in custody on Wednesday night. | |
In a statement, the force said: “The 61-year-old man who died after a reported assault and robbery at his home in Lowedges on Christmas Day has been named as Stephen Paul Starkey. Mr Starkey was at his home in Reney Crescent on Thursday 25 December when at around 10.30am a man entered his property, allegedly assaulting him and stealing items. Mr Starkey was taken to hospital to be treated for his injuries where he later died. | |
“The family of Mr Starkey have asked for privacy while they grieve their loss and request the media to respect this wish at this difficult time.” | |
The statement said a postmortem examination had yet to be carried out. | |
Before Starkey died, Det Insp Richard Partridge said the assault had taken place in broad daylight. “We believe that the suspect deliberately targeted this man’s house, forcing his way into the property and injuring a vulnerable member of the community before stealing valuables.” | |