LAWRENCE — A 72-year-old landlord was knocked unconscious and robbed right after he collected $650 rent from a tenant, police said.
Tai Pham told Officer Jeffrey Hart he had gone to the building at 251 South Broadway to collect one month's rent from a third floor tenant. After he collected the rent, he said he was grabbed by two men and robbed, and the next thing he recalled was waking up in the cellar of the property bleeding.
In addition to the $650 rent, $200 to $300 was taken from his wallet, according to police reports.
Pham told Hart he had no recollection of what time he had arrived at the building.
Police were sent to the 251 S. Broadway address about 7:30 p.m. Thursday for a medical assist, and found Pham sitting on the steps on the Chester Street side of the building with facial injuries and dried blood on his head.
Bystanders immediately told police Pham had been robbed.
Sgt. Michael Simard, Hart and Officer Joseph Cerullo went in the side door of the building and went to the cellar where they saw what appeared to be both dried and wet blood, and a single white latex glove and duct tape on the floor near the blood.
Pham was taken to Lawrence General Hospital for treatment of serious facial injuries.
"This is a horrendous crime," police Chief John Romero said yesterday. "The detectives are working very hard to get to find out who is responsible for this."
