Elderly woman assaulted for second time in two weeks

A Waitemata police spokeswoman said the assault was believed to have occurred about 10pm last night in Milan Drive. Photo / Regan Schoultz

An elderly woman was seriously assaulted during a home invasion for the second time in two weeks at her Glen Eden house.

A Waitemata police spokeswoman said the assault was believed to have occurred about 10pm last night in Milan Drive.

The elderly woman was in a stable condition today in Auckland City Hospital.

The woman, in her 80s, was in hospital with injuries to her head and neck area, police confirmed.

Due to her condition, police remain unable to speak to her in detail about the incident, but hope to do so tomorrow.

They would have to wait for at least another 24 hours.

Police carried out a scene examination at the woman's home today, however did not yet have a description of the offender.

Milan Drive Neighbourhood Support co-ordinator Heather Tanguay said the neighbourhood was "extremely close-knit" and was shocked by the series of assaults on the elderly woman.

"We are absolutely devastated by this turn of events.

"It's extremely unusual," she said.

Mrs Tanguay said the elderly woman was a "strong lady".

She said it was important at times like these to "come together" as a community.

"We cannot be cowards.

"It's absolutely the worst thing for the community to bolt their doors and windows at this time," she said.

A BBQ was planned for next Monday for the neighbours to get together.

Labour MP for Kelston, Carmel Sepuloni, said she had spoken to concerned neighbours and would attend a meeting with the street on Sunday night.

She had also spoken with police.

"They can't give too much away at this stage but they're taking the incident very seriously," she said.

"What we're concerned about at the moment is the safety of the people that are living on the street and the wellbeing of this poor woman who has been assaulted for the second time."

She said neighbours also had concerns about similar incidents in the area - as about a week after the first attack on the woman, a woman at a rest home neighbouring her property has been burgled.

"There was concern that the person had accessed the rest home through the property of the woman who has just been assaulted for the second time," Ms Sepuloni said.

"There really is genuine concern. I've spoken to one of the neighbours - they've changed their locks and they've increased their security."

She said everyone in the area needed to be security conscious and keep an eye on each other.

A police spokeswoman confirmed there had been an attack at Greenview Retirement Home on November 27.

"A woman was watching TV in her lounge at around 10.30pm, when she heard noises and discovered a TV and sum of money had been taken from a bedroom. It appears that the offender had entered through an open bedroom window."

She said it was unclear at this stage whether the incidents were linked and inquiries were ongoing.