Mystery Good Samaritan replaces money stolen from 100-year-old widow (From Enfield Independent)

Mystery Good Samaritan replaces money stolen from 100-year-old widow Violet Brett during Chase Side burglary

5:46pm Monday 3rd December 2012 in News

The daughter of a 100-year-old woman burgled for £40 “can’t believe” a Good Samaritan has sent in an anonymous donation to replace it.

Violet Brett was asleep in her maisonette in Gordon Road, Chase Side at around 9pm on October 24 when two youths broke in and snatched cash she had been saving in an envelope to pay for a new pair of glasses.

A reader, who simply signed their name J, sent £40 into the Enfield Independent office because they were "so angry" to hear about the burglary.

The mystery sender said they would appreciate it if the money was passed on to Mrs Brett for her to buy the glasses.

Mrs Brett’s daughter, Iris Toomey, said: “Isn’t that nice? I can’t believe this, it’s such a nice thing. There are some nice people out there - Violet would think it’s lovely.”

The 68-year-old said it may go some way to restore her mother's faith in humanity after the cruel burglary.

The youths rifled Mrs Brett’s chest of drawers while she lay awake and defenceless in bed.

Mrs Toomey has since replaced the money to pay for her mother’s glasses, but she will pass the money on to her mother and hopes she will use it to buy herself a treat.

Since the burglary, she said Mrs Brett has largely forgotten about her ordeal, but Mrs Toomey – who lives opposite her mother – is struggling to settle in case it happens again.

No arrests have been made.