Police recover the handbag of woman who died 'of shock' after thieves ransacked her London home

Detectives investigating the death of a woman following a burglary at her lifelong home have found the pensioner’s stolen handbag.

Maureen Whale, 77, died after a break-in at her flat in Bells Hill, Barnet, north London, shortly before 6pm on Tuesday December 4.

Ms Whale’s black handbag containing her personal effects was found stuffed in a hedge just to the right of the road sign on the outskirts of Ravenscroft Park – nearly half a mile north her home.

Detective Chief Inspector Noel McHugh, of the Met Police homicide and major crime command, said the discovery was ‘highly significant’ – and appealed to burglars to name those responsible.

He said: ‘I am appealing to burglars and handlers – you will know who is responsible.

‘A wonderful lady is no longer with us due to the callous actions of three burglars, willing to break into a house when an elderly lady was at home alone – you owe them no loyalties.’

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He added: ‘Had Maureen Whale not been burgled, she would have celebrated her 78th birthday on December 13 and she would now be preparing to celebrate Christmas.’

Ms Whale collapsed while on the phone to police. A post-mortem examination revealed she died of coronary heart disease, likely to have been brought on by the stress of the incident, and police are treating her death as manslaughter.

DCI McHugh said officers are ‘confident that after burgling Maureen’s house, the suspects made their way up Bells Hill’.

Detectives suspect three people were involved, and the incident is being linked to two more burglaries in the same road at around 5.35pm, and another in Sampson Avenue at about 11.45am on the same day.

Anyone who was around Ravenscourt Gardens and Ravenscroft Park between 6pm and 6.30pm on December 4 are urged to contact police.