Heart victim killed by £30 robbery
Man dies after rush to comfort his partner
An OAP collapsed and died after racing to comfort his shopkeeper partner who had been robbed at knifepoint for just £ 30.
Tony Ryan, 71, drove to Wyl ie’s newsagent in Saltcoats, Ayrshire, after Lynn Gray, 63, was held up by a masked raider.
The robber had threatened
Lynn with a blade before escaping with the cash.
After alerting her boss and police, she then phoned Tony at their nearby home.
He rushed over in his grey Vauxhall Corsa but seconds after entering the store he is thought to have suffered a heart attack.
Owner Sandy Wyllie performed CPR before Tony was then rushed by ambulance to Cross house Hospital in Kilmarnock. However, he died a short time after arriving.
Yesterday police launched a hunt for the robber.
Forensic experts examined the scene for clues while detectives carried out door-todoor inquiries.
Detective Inspector Fraser Normansell said: “This was a very traumatic experience for the 63-year-old shop assistant who not only suffered the ordeal of the robbery itself but also witnessed the elderly man collapsing in the aftermath of the incident.
“It’s vital we trace the culprit and stop him from causing any harm and distress and I would urge anyone who was in the area and may have seen the suspect hanging around the area to come forward.”
Police say the robbery happened in the town’s Springvale Street at around 3.40pm.
The suspect is described as around 5ft 8ins and was wearing a blue rain jacket with the hood up, blue jeans and a black scarf covering his face.
Shop owner Sandy Wylie, 57, was too upset to comment.
However, his brother. Andrew, 52, who runs another store in the town said: “After the robbery Lynn was very upset and she phoned Sandy straight away.
“He then told Lynn to call the police and went round to make sure she wasn’t hurt.
“Sandy arrived just after Tony collapsed and tried to do CPR on him.
“Everyone is very upset about what happened.
“It seems only £ 30 was taken. It’s a terrible tragedy.”
Police Scotland say a post mortem will be carried out to establish the exact cause of death.
A spokeswoman added: “An inquiry is under way to establish the full circumstances of both incidents.”
A friend of Tony, who asked not to be named, said: “He was a gentleman and always there for other people.
“Before he retired he was a digger on the oil rigs and before that an electricity linesman.
“He had a daughter and two grandsons and loved fishing.
“Tony and Lynn had been together for more than 30 years and were devoted to each other.”
There was no answer yesterday the first floor flat they shared. It is understood that Lynn spent most of yesterday being interviewed by police about her ordeal and is staying with relatives.
A resident who lives next to the newsagents said: “We saw the police arrive at f irst but feared the worst when we then saw the ambulance arrive.
“Lynn is a nice person and always very pleasant and helpful.
“This is a terrible shock on top of the robbery.”