Pensioner’s last words calling 999 to report burglary released by murder police after she died due to ‘stress’ from raid

'I can't talk,' Maureen Whale can be heard telling operator a minute into call, 'I'm sorry'

Murder detectives have released a recording of the final words of a pensioner calling 999 to report burglars had just been in her home.

Maureen Whale collapsed while phoning police to say two men had walked into her North London house and stolen her jewellery and purse on 4 December.

The 77-year-old, who lived alone, never regained consciousness and died the next day.

In the devastating recording the retired nurse and librarian can be heard trying to remain calm as the trauma of what has just happened appears to take over her.

“I can’t talk,” she says as her gasps for air. “I’m sorry.”

Within seconds she stops replying to the call handler and her breath goes quiet. “Maureen,” the operator says. “Can you hear me please?” If you can touch the handset, make a noise or cough.”

Nothing comes back.

Detectives are now treating the death as manslaughter and offering £20,000 for information on the two men and an accomplice who waited outside.

Ms Whale, who had also worked as air hostess, was sitting in her front room when the pair entered from the back of the cottage-style house, in Barnet.

It is unclear what exactly happened once they were inside but they walked out soon after with valuables including a Pandora ring, Tiffany necklace and a bracelet, as well as a handbag containing about £700 in American dollars and Turkish lira.

Ms Whale was rushed to hospital in a critical condition after the call-handler dispatched an ambulance but she died the following day from coronary heart disease which a post-mortem concluded was sparked by the stress of the burglary.

Her niece Gina Whale said: ““Hearing the last phone call made by my aunt is extremely distressing but we hope that by releasing this to the public someone, somewhere will be moved to come forward with information."

Maureen Whale (SWNS.COM)

She added: “Our aunt was a fiercely independent woman who should have been safe in the home she had lived in all of her life.

“No-one deserves to die in this way and we urge anyone who can help bring these men to justice to come forward and assist police with their investigation.”

The burglars wear spotted on CCTV wearing baseball caps, beanies and hoods. It is believed they were also responsible for two other raids on the same road that afternoon.

Detective Chief Inspector Noel McHugh, of London’s Metropolitan Police, said: “It is so wrong that a woman who was so adventurous travelling the world in her younger days should die in such awful circumstances. Someone will recognise these burglars from CCTV or from a change in their behaviour and I am appealing to the families and partners of these individuals to help Maureen’s family get the justice they deserve.”