Horror hammer attack on agent - police still looking for information

Police are continuing to appeal for information on a horrific hammer attack on the owner and chairman of Bridges Estate Agents in Surrey.

Tony Raffermati has told the Farnham Herald that he was beaten unconscious by one of four attackers armed with a claw hammer; the incident happened at Raffrmati’s home in Ash Green.

He told the newspaper: “I was on my PC in the lounge with the Liverpool v Bayern game playing on the TV. Suddenly, at around 8.30pm, four masked men appeared from my hallway. It appears that they entered through an upstairs window.

“The two larger assailants, one white and one black, grabbed me before I could understand what was happening and the black guy struck me on the head with what I was to learn during the rest of my 25 to 30-minute ordeal was a claw hammer.

They were screaming ‘where is the safe? where is the safe?’. I do not have a safe. I am the chairman of Bridges Estate Agents and my business is not a cash-based enterprise.”

When he told the attackers he had no safe at home, he was hit with the hammer across his temple. 

“This blow sent me to the floor and I could sense a huge amount of blood. There is certainly a blank period that followed. It was only when I got to hospital that I felt pain in my ribs and discovered more hammer marks. The two smaller assailants had quickly set about ransacking the upstairs and obviously hadn’t found anything. The black guy returned and although I was still dazed it is around then I received another blow to the back of my neck.”

Raffermati was then dragged upstairs and attacked again before they fled with cash, keys, bank cards and an air pistol.

“It took me around five minutes to get myself free and I immediately phoned for an ambulance. My lounge was covered in blood and I knew I needed medical attention as soon as possible. I hope someone will come forward with a critical bit of information that might help.” 

Surrey Police are appealing for witnesses following the aggravated burglary on March 13; anyone with information should call 101 quoting crime reference number PR/45190026789.

You can see the local media report, and a photograph of the agent after the attack, here.