Crime Immemorial

Alfred and his wife Inez lived a simple life on the farm, where they sold eggs to locals. Inez was accustomed to visitors knocking for produce, which tragically played into the robbers’ hands that day. Shortly before eleven thirty a.m., four masked men arrived in a red Transit van that had been stolen earlier that morning from Warrington. They forced their way into the farmhouse after Inez opened the door, holding the elderly couple at gunpoint while ransacking the property.

The ordeal proved too much for Alfred. As the intruders searched the house, he collapsed from a massive heart attack. Despite Inez’s desperate efforts to revive him, nothing could be done, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The robbers fled in the stolen van, leaving behind a devastated widow and family.

The Sandfords had five children, and the impact extended far beyond Alfred’s death. The family later blamed the trauma of the robbery for contributing to Inez’s own passing six months later. In 2005, a reward for information leading to convictions was increased to £14,000.

Merseyside Police have consistently appealed for information over the years, classifying the case as an unsolved murder or manslaughter. As recently as 2023, Detective Superintendent Sue Coombs highlighted Alfred’s death alongside other cold cases in St. Helens, urging the public to come forward with even small details that could provide closure for the family.

The four robbers were described as armed and ruthless, targeting a vulnerable elderly couple in their own home. Despite investigations, including tracing the stolen van, no arrests have led to prosecutions, and the murder of Alfred Sandford is still unresolved.