A CHILLING face-to-face encounter in the corridor of a Swindon care home followed the burglary of a safe containing more than £1,000 in residents’ personal allowances.

In the early hours of Wednesday morning, a lone, 22-year-old female carer came out of a side room at the Bluebells Care Home and into a corridor, where she froze in the glare of a man in the middle of a burglary.

The woman and the man, described as mixed race and in his mid-20s with a Mud branded cap, stood for more than a minute, just silently staring at one another until the man left.

Just a few hours earlier, carers at the Moredon Road site had found the door to the detached manager’s hut wide open, but initially saw no sign of anything taken.

Police were called after the corridor encounter and it transpired a safe had been drilled from the floor of manager Farhan Ebrahimjee’s office.

It had contained as much as £1,300 in allowances the 13 residents have, which is given to them by family.

A senior carer at the home, who did not wish to be named, said: “I got a call at 4am on Wednesday morning from one of the girls here. She was very scared and very shaken up, saying there had been a break-in.

“They found the manager’s open door, which was a bit odd, but nothing was found in there so they locked it up.

“Two hours later, one of the members of staff came face-to-face with a mixed race male in the hallway of our actual home.

“Nothing was said. They just stood there staring at each other. I just found the whole situation was odd.

“She’s only 22. She was very shaken. She’s a very small girl and in the voicemail she sent me, I could hear the fear in her voice.

The senior carer said her colleague had a good look at the man and would be helping police with their inquiries.

Officers attended the home twice on Wednesday to proceed with their investigation and advised that CCTV cameras should be installed.

The senior carer said there was an air of vulnerability at the care home now.

“The thing that doesn’t make sense is the member of staff had a very clear look at his hands, and he must have been back for a second time because he didn’t have the safe with him,” she said.

“We are all a bit concerned, to be honest. As a senior carer we are here to support staff and residents.

“We most definitely feel vulnerable.

“We are not in fear it’s going to happen again, but members of staff feel dubious working nights.”

Anyone with information should call police on 101. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.