A gang of knife-wielding thugs held-up the terrified parents of
Manchester United star Paul Scholes before stealing their luxury
car.
Stewart and Marina Scholes were asleep at their semi-detached home
in a quiet cul-de-sac in Rhodes when four balaclava-clad raiders
smashed their way in through the patio doors.
The thugs, armed with two blades and a cricket bat, then demanded
the keys to the couple's silver Audi.
Two of the gang then fled in the car while the other two made off
on foot after the raid at around 9.25pm on Sunday 7 October - the
vehicle was later found abandoned by police in Crumpsall.
Gas pipe fitter Stewart, aged 50, said: "My wife went down to
confront these lads. She screamed at me, I ran down to see them
waving knives about.
"They were shouting what they were going to do if I didn't give
them the car keys...so I just said, 'There's the keys, leave us
alone'."
The couple, who have lived in Rhodes for around five years, were
unhurt in the raid but were said to have been badly shaken by the
attack.
His wife Marina said: "It was horrible."
One neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: "There were four
lads in balaclavas and they smashed their way in through the patio
window. I heard a bang and thought 'what is that?' I came out to
the front and I saw four of them stood at each door of the Audi.
They were armed so I picked up a hammer. Two of them ran off on
foot and two of them sped off in the car."
"They were just kids but they knew exactly what they were coming
for - a couple of them had knives and one of them was carrying a
big log-end. I have lived here for four years and we have never had
anything like this before the whole close is shocked. You do not
expect this on your doorstep.
"They are a lovely couple and have lived here for about five or six
years. It has shaken them up. I spoke to their daughter yesterday
and she said the police had recovered the car. It is only a small
close and people are very shocked this has happened."
Manchester United star Paul, 32, was also said to be furious at the
attack.
Dad Stewart said: "He is disgusted."
