![Riverina Police District Detective Acting Inspector Tim Brakenridge. Picture by Taylor Dodge Riverina Police District Detective Acting Inspector Tim Brakenridge. Picture by Taylor Dodge](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/JEQDf2CFmqVGDcvEsZPwEY/1ba5f2a5-c1bf-4659-b3eb-5532cd6819c9.jpg/r8_0_1162_647_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
An octogenerian has woken to a torch shining in her face and ordered out of bed to direct intruders to her valuables as Wagga's elderly residents continue to be targeted by thieves.
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Elderly residents have been left shaken after being confronted by intruders in two separate break and enters across Wagga on Tuesday morning.
Police were called to one of the city's nursing homes at about 1.15am following reports of an aggravated break and enter.
Riverina Police District Detective Acting Inspector Tim Brakenridge said police were told five youths had confronted an 85-year-old man inside his unit.
"A wallet and mobile phone were stolen. The man wasn't injured," he said.
An elderly woman was also forced out of bed in a separate break and enter at a house on Bamarook Crescent in Glenfield Park only a couple of hours after the first incident.
"At about 3.30am on Tuesday ... emergency services responded to reports of a break and enter at a home in Glenfield Park, officers attached to the Riverina Police District were told two males wearing black hoodies had demanded cash before stealing a wallet, and mobile phone, and the house phone," Detective Acting Inspector Brakenridge said.
" The occupant, an 83-year-old woman was home at the time.
"An investigation has commenced into the incident.
"Anyone being targeted in the community is a concern for police and we just encourage everybody to report the crime and rest assured police are on 24 hours and will respond at any time."
The woman's granddaughter told The Daily Advertiser the crooks entered through the laundry window which had been left open "just a crack".
"They broke in through the window and then came through the door and entered Nan's bedroom," she said.
"They shone torches in her face and when she asked who they were they demanded money from her, made her get out of bed followed her to the room room her handbag was in and then took it from her.
"They also took her iPad which she uses to speak to my pop in a nursing home in Culcairn.
"They took her mobile phone and landline so she couldn't call the police.
"They also took her jewellery, which a friend of ours found in the alleyway across the road."
The woman was able to contact police through Vital Call assistance.
Detective Acting Inspector Brakenridge said members of the community are urged to lock their homes, cars and garages, ensure valuables are left out of sight and equip themselves with CCTV cameras and sensor lights if available.
The frightening cases come just days after a couple in Central Wagga were left shaken by a second break-in on their home in four months.
It has prompted family member Ian Burkinshaw has taken the matter to Wagga MP Joe McGirr in a bid to raise awareness of youth crime in the city and an already busy police force.
Dr McGirr has since said he will support a push for a parliamentary inquiry into regional and rural crime - a campaign spearheaded by the Police Association of NSW, the Country Mayors Association of NSW and the NSW Farmers Association - and continue to work with Riverina's senior police.
"Invasions of the home, meant to be a sanctuary regardless of the occupants' age, are completely unacceptable and I urge anyone with information about this crime, or others like it, to contact police immediately," he said.
"I'll work closely with senior police in the new year to ensure the couple are kept fully up to date on their investigation and more broadly, will continue to work with police to assess crime issues in the electorate and identify potential prevention measures in the hope of saving others from similar trauma."