A GRIEVOUS robbery perpetrated on a young mother in her own home just outside the Faithful City was fully reported by the Worcester Journal this week exactly 250 years ago.

The edition of November 1752 explained: "On Monday last in the afternoon, a man, well dressed and very well mounted, came to the house of Mrs Luttage at Wick near this city and, having previously got intelligence that nobody was at home except Mrs Luttage and her young child, he directly went to the stable and put up his horse and then came into the house.

"Without any apology for his abruptness, he told her he wanted four guineas which she must immediately help him to, otherwise he would blow her brains out.

He explained that he belonged to a numerous gang of smugglers who had an immediate occasion for a considerable sum of money but wanted four guineas to make it up, pulling out at the same time a great quantity of gold.

"Mrs Luttage told him she had no so much money in the house but he issued threats with most terrible oaths whereupon Mrs Luttage thought proper to tell him he could have all the money she could find and, accordingly, went upstairs to fetch it, bringing down three guineas which she gave to him.

"He obliged her to go into her stable where he gave her an old silver watch and other things of a trifling value, telling her he would call for them in two or three days time and return her the money.

"He then mounted his horse and made off towards Powick but in less than half an hour he returned and told Mrs Luttage that he had just met some of his companions and found that they still wanted a guinea and a half to make up their sum and therefore insisted upon her producing it which at length she was terrified into.

"Upon his taking leave of her, he told her that if she caused him to be pursued, he and some of his companions would certainly come some night or other and murder her and the whole family. The man is still being sought."